Josh Brolin Says He Nearly Came to Blows with Denzel Washington While Filming ‘American Gangster’

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Josh Brolin shared a story about a difficult interaction he had with Denzel Washington on the set of their 2007 film, American Gangster.

I was really surprised to hear Josh Brolin talking about this on Graham Bensinger’s show! He said he and Denzel Washington almost came to blows on set. Thankfully, he clarified that they’re good friends now, but it sounds like things got pretty heated for a while!

In Ridley Scott’s film American Gangster, Josh Brolin played a detective trying to catch Frank Lucas, a notorious drug lord based on a real person who controlled Harlem during the 1960s and 70s. Brolin enjoyed working on the movie, especially the chance to act alongside performers he respected. However, one day during filming, something unexpected happened.

Brolin shared that during a particular scene, Washington unexpectedly altered some of the dialogue. “I was focused on keeping the scene’s flow, and we ran through it. It wasn’t a huge change, mostly affecting my lines,” he explained.

I was expected to act really confidently, but it was tough – it was Denzel Washington directing, after all! I felt like I was being auditioned, like they were trying to figure out if I was truly capable, and I actually forgot my line.

To keep things moving, Brolin asked for the line, but Washington reacted strongly. “I touched his shoulder and asked for the line, and he swatted my hand away, telling me not to ever touch him again,” Brolin remembered. He was shocked, thinking to himself, “I can’t believe I’m about to get into a physical altercation with Denzel Washington. This is unbelievable.”

Josh Brolin explained that Denzel Washington was completely immersed in his role and wasn’t actually angry with him personally. Brolin said Washington was so focused on becoming Frank Lucas that he was fully embodying the character. Initially, Brolin didn’t realize this. After a tense moment, Brolin checked if Washington was alright, and Washington reciprocated the question. Once Brolin asked to continue filming, Washington gave the okay, seemingly having expressed everything he needed to as the character.

Even though they had a tense disagreement, the two actors quickly resolved it. Josh Brolin mentioned that when he saw Denzel Washington around a year later, Washington was friendly and welcoming, proving they had moved past the issue.

He explained that working with actors as experienced as Washington can be unique, as they tend to be very focused on the task at hand. He noted, “They’re just trying to do their job, while you want the whole experience to be memorable.” He added that it’s understandable why they’d try to minimize distractions from their personal lives.

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2025-10-30 00:15