Quotes from Denzel Washington

I read the Bible every day.

It's simple: You get a part. You play a part. You play it well. You do your work and you go home. And what is wonderful about movies is that once they're done, they belong to the people. Once you make it, it's what they see. That's where my head is at.

Dakota Fanning is a child, but she is a wonderful actor. I don't know what a child actor is. She's an actor who's a child.

Where I think the most work needs to be done is behind the camera, not in front of it.

I even asked [Saniyya Sidney] why she wanted to be an actor and she said, "I'm serious about this. These other little kids they want to play, and I don't have time for that."

We live in a time when people give up too easy.

If you take the time and put in the effort to write your own material and absolutely refuse to be denied the right to make your film it is difficult whatever colour you are.

I've worked in a factory. I was a garbage man. I worked in a post office. It's not that long ago. I like to think that I'm just a regular guy.

When people protest and are upset with a movie, it becomes a big hit. They hated Passion of The Christ, it worked out pretty well for the box office. So let's get that going.

I still have my unemployment books and I remember when I worked for the sanitation department and the post office.

I made a commitment to completely cut out drinking and anything that might hamper me from getting my mind and body together. And the floodgates of goodness have opened upon me - spiritually and financially.

My role 14 years ago in Richard III - that was the first time I played a bad guy and learned a lot about it - they have all the fun!

The chances you take… the people you meet… the people you love...the faith that you have - that's what's going to define your life.

As an actor in the theater you're taught that you never play a bad guy. You have to love who you are. You can't say, "Oh, I'm a bad guy." How do you play that?

I love research and being educated. It's a great job being able to step into all kinds of professions and into other people's shoes.

Hate, hatred for yourself, for other people, will confine you, but love can set you free.

I always say the time to worry about flying is when you're on the ground. If you don't trust the captain, don't go.

Bad guys need love too.

I and haven't been unemployed for 20 years. I'm an exception to the rule.

The last few years I've been saying I was ready to quit. It wasn't that interesting to me. Now that I'm directing, it's all new again.

Man gives you the award but God gives you the reward.

Michelle Pfeiffer hasn't been finding a lot of work recently because she doesn't like what a woman her age is offered. That's a real double standard. You get Sean Connery, who gets older and older, still playing opposite young ladies, but it doesn't work the other way around.

When I did A Soldier's Story, I was very young and green and thought I knew everything-now I know I know everything!

Do what you have to do, to do what you want to do.