Denzel Washington on Cancel Culture: ‘I Follow God, I Don’t Follow Man’

While promoting his new film, ‘Highest 2 Lowest,’ the Oscar-winning actor said faith matters more to him than public approval.

Denzel Washington (R) and Spike Lee at the photo call for the thriller "Highest 2 Lowest" at the Cannes Film Festival in southern France on May 19, 2025. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP

Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington is taking aim at cancel culture, reaffirming his opinions are formed only through faith and his relationship with God.

In a recent interview with Complex News, the 70-year-old questioned why losing public support in terms of cancel culture would matter to anyone, before dismissing the notion completely.

“Who cares?” Washington told the outlet. “What made public support so important to begin with?”

The interviewer explained that in today’s digital world, social media followers now equate to “currency,” to which Washington said he “doesn’t care about who’s following who.”

“You can’t lead and follow at the same time, and you can’t follow and lead at the same time,” he continued.

“I don’t follow anybody. I follow the heavenly spirit. I follow God, I don’t follow man. I have faith in God. I have hope in man, but look around, it ain’t working out so well.”

“You can’t be canceled if you haven’t signed up,” he added. “Don’t sign up.”

Washington made those remarks while promoting his new film “Highest 2 Lowest,” an American crime thriller directed by Spike Lee. The movie marks the first collaboration between Lee and Washington since “Inside Man” in 2006.

In January, Washington received his 11th Golden Globe nomination for his starring role in “Gladiator II,” the sequel to the 2000 original by director Ridley Scott.

Following his completion of the production, the actor weighed a potential retirement and his future in filmmaking, saying last year that he would now be selective in his decision-making process.

Doubling down on that sentiment in a recent interview, the “Training Day” star said he doesn’t focus on accolades.

“I really don’t care about that kind of stuff,” he told Jake Hamilton on the YouTube channel and podcast “Jake’s Takes.”

“I’ve been at this a long time. There’s times when I won and shouldn’t have won, and shouldn’t have won and won. Man gives the award. God gives the reward.”

With more than 60 credits throughout his career, Washington got his start on television in the late 1970s, before his breakthrough role in the 1987 drama “Cry Freedom.”

He quickly became a household name over the years, best known for his performances in “Training Day,” “The Book of Eli,” “Fences,” and “American Gangster.”

His two Oscar wins were for best supporting actor in “Glory” (1989) and best actor in “Training Day” (2001).

Washington has also received multiple Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Tony Awards, with more than 200 total nominations.