Denzel Shrugs Off Oscars Snub, Says God Gives the Reward Not the Academy
Riley Carter here. Okay, but like… Denzel Washington has officially checked out of the Oscar panic room, and he’s saying what a lot of veteran actors only whisper.
The 70-year-old icon made headlines again while promoting his new film Highest 2 Lowest, telling podcast host Jake Tapper’s guest segment on “Jake’s Takes” that awards never drove his career. “I don’t do it for Oscars. I don’t care about that kind of stuff,” he said, adding a line that’s already meme-able: “Man gives the award. God gives the reward.” That blunt, spiritually tinged dismissal lands differently when you remember Washington’s long awards track record: nine Academy Award nominations and two wins, for Glory (1990) and Training Day (2002).
But this isn’t just humble-braggy stoicism. Washington has a history of candid takes about when awards felt deserved and when they didn’t. On the podcast he admitted there were times he “won and shouldn’t have” and times he “didn’t win and should’ve.” Translation: years in the business teach you that prestige is messy, subjective, and not the point.
The timing of his remarks matters. Earlier in 2025 Washington was widely expected to pick up an Oscar nomination for his turn in Gladiator II, especially after securing nods from the 2025 Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards. The Academy, however, did not follow suit, and Washington’s deadpan reaction to that snub with the New York Times—“Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I’m so upset.”—read less like tantrum and more like a man who’s learning to conserve his energy for other things.
He doubled down on that philosophy when he talked about the practical side of awards on the podcast. Asked where he stores his Oscars he joked he keeps them “next to the other one,” quickly adding that he’s “not bragging” and that such trophies won’t matter on his last day. It’s a grounded, slightly weary perspective from someone who’s been in the industry for decades and seen award season’s bright lights and backstage politics.
The snub for Gladiator II followed another bump: Washington wasn’t nominated for a Tony for his role in a production of Othello that drew attention for expensive ticket prices and polarized reviews. Add to that his recent comments about winding down his on-screen work—he told Australia’s Today that he plans to retire after a handful of upcoming projects, including Black Panther 3—and you get a portrait of an actor shifting priorities.
So what’s the takeaway? Denzel’s not bitter, he’s strategic. He’s slimming his slate, focusing on roles that mean something to him, and treating awards as icing rather than the cake. For fans and awards-watchers who expected fury over the Academy’s decision, Washington’s blend of sarcasm, sage humility, and spiritual framing is a reminder that legacy for him is created in the work, not on a stage with a statuette.
Look for Washington to keep making selective, high-profile appearances, take fewer roles, and keep his commentary refreshingly frank. He’s made peace with not being validated by trophies, and that might just make his remaining projects more interesting. Okay cool, so like, yeah, that happened.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, The New York Times, Jake’s Takes (podcast), Australia’s Today, Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
