CINEMA
Denzel Washington compares ‘Gladiator II’ scene to real life: “We are all slaves”
The actor criticized the current political situation and the manipulation of information to prevent the distinction between right and left.
Denzel Washington recently spoke openly about his addictions and battles with booze, telling Esquire that he would drink two bottles of vintage wine a day. Having kicked the habit and sober for 10 years, the actor, who turns 70 next month treated us a superb performance as part of the cast of Gladiator II.
Washington plays Macrinus, a powerbroker who supplies food, wine and fuel for the Roman army and delivers many of the most hilarious moments of the film. And after revealing his true intentions, the actor explodes with a most revealing “Politicianssss-ah!”, a moment that Denzel himself has connected with the current state of real politics and the power of manipulation, regardless of which side it comes from.
“Now we are all slaves to information”
In a recent interview with The Times, Denzel noted “Empires fall, just like emperors,” a concept he has used to explain how he sees the current world on a political level and the prevailing misinformation.
“It’s very easy to speak from outside the United States and say this and that. Take a walk around. Pick a country. Any one. It’s all politics. Unfulfilled promises,” says the actor, explaining that the problem is widespread and exists beyond the borders of his country.
“And now, with the information age being what it is, the left, the right, whoever, they better learn how to use those tools to manipulate people. There was a great line in the first movie I ever made: ‘Power to the people? Yeah, they had it once – it was called the Stone Age,’” he continued with reference to the 1981 comedy drama Carbon Copy in which he plays Roger Porter.
To put it simply, today’s society is a slave to information and manipulation.
“We are all slaves to information now. We really are. We are all slaves. So no matter how you feel about the leaders, whether you think this guy is crazy or that guy is sane, you better realize that you are being manipulated by both sides. Period. Yeah. So go to the movies,” Washington concludes with the only practical solution he can offer to combat this situation: escape by watching a few films and forget about the world for a while.