Is it wrong for Denzel Washington to encourage film actors to act on stage?

Considering that Washington cut his teeth on stage for nearly a decade before making films, I'd hardly say that he considers his own film experience as a form of training. He's always maintained that he sees himself as a stage actor first and foremost, even though he doesn't get to do plays as often as he likes. And up until this year, he'd never even been nominated--let alone win--a major theatre award.

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If he's talking to actors that WANT to do film, what is wrong with his advice? He's right. Live stage work is the most dedicated and grueling work. The way you approach the work is different...and SHOULD be the springboard for all performance preparation

It's not like he's going up to b'way actors and "recruiting" them away from Bway. I daresay, there are few bway performers that would NOT accept tv or film work. Are they all suited for it? No. But not every film/tv actor could handle live stage work either.

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Don't see the jump to Crowe in this discussion at all. But from the tone of your OP, it SEEMED as if you didn't think Denzel should be encouraging stage work...which WOULD have put you in the same camp as Foster's group. (Certainly may have not been your intent, but that is the way it reads.)

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I think what Denzel is said is absolutely true and it is wonderful that he is encouraging actors to come to the stage and really work and builld a strong a discipline which is what theatre actors have to do. And while Washington did forget to say the American Theatre Wing he has been gracious enough to come to broadway and give a spectacular performance. I think people are forgetting that Denzel Washington is huge film star and has two oscars. He is one of the most famous actors in the world. The fact that he would even return to his roots should be respected. The way I see it people like Denzel Washingon and Viola Davis are actors who started in theatre and would have had long theatre focused careers had they not have gotten the big breaks they had got. The fact is they got offered great roles in hollywood and they would have been silly to turn them down especially as those roles have made them some of the most respected actors in hollywood. And while they are busy film stars they still kindly come back to broadway and give us brilliant performances.

I think Hunter's group is overdoing it in their attacks. While Green Day playing for such a long time was not good, almost all of the film actors who won Tonys gave excellent performances. Being a film actor and doing a broadway show is not a crime. I do find it bad when a talentless movie star comes and does a show so it can generate money. And while I find it bad I always want to give them a chance regardless and respect their decision when they say they want to try broadway. The truth of the matter is very few film stars have walked away from a braodway show without a tremendous amount of respect for what stage actors do.

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He's one of the most famous actors of all time. I figured that was undisputed. If you mention "Denzel" in Europe or Africa, everyone knows who you are talking about. The guy doesn't even need a last name.

Bizarre factoid; Washington's filmography is the most "remade" filmography of any Hollywood actor in India. Bollywood has Indian versions of many of his films, including John Q, Fallen, Man On Fire, Training Day, Out Of Time ect.

I do believe Washington has encouraged working film actors (ie Julia Roberts) to act on stage. Not neccesarily Broadway...just stage (I guess that includes regional theatre, off-broadway, west end, summer stock). So he does both. He advises aspiring actors to get stage training first, and encourages experienced film actors who haven't done stage, to at least try it. Al Pacino does something similar from what I've read (Pacino has been trying to get Johnny Depp to do stage for awhile, and trying to get Sean Penn to do stage again)

I really doubt Washington would tell an experienced film actress like Julia Roberts, to go back and get some extensive stage training before going on stage. That'd probably be insulting.

Re Russell Crowe's comment, it is dismissive but there is an iota of truth in it. He can get a movie gig but are they the kind of gigs that he really wants to do?

Here's an interesting article on movie fans wanting to get their movie stars back to Hollywood ( and the realities of movie choices in Hollywood these days) --

http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/blog/2010/06/give_the_movie.html

Updated On: 6/25/10 at 08:12 PM

Yeah I enjoyed Julia in Three Days of Rain! Thought it may have been due to the fact that Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper were great. Or...just that they were in it!

Julia on stage was exactly like she was on film. I found her to light up that stage every second she was on it.

Don't know what to tell you. I saw the show over 20 times and never thought she was anything other than the Julia I love so much.

Not counting how many times I've watched it, er..."remembered" it from home.

Oh it TOTALLY wasn't the right thing for her to do. It's a really minor play that's not all "that" great but even having said that I still think she did a really great job.