Denzel Washington Credits Career To Late James Earl Jones: “He Was Everything To Me”

James Earl Jones - You Can't Take It With You NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 16: Actor James Earl Jones sits for a portrait at the Longacre Theatre in New York, NY on September 16th, 2014. Mr. Jones performs in the ensemble cast of "You Can't Take It With You" at the theatre this fall. (Photo by Jesse Dittmar for The Washington Post via Getty Images.) (The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Im)

By EJ Greig

September 11, 2024 at 2:32 pm EDT

Denzel Washington paid tribute to the late James Earl Jones, calling him his hero and inspiration for his acting career.

Washington credits Jones for sparking his interest in theater and shaping his aspirations as an actor. Despite never working together on screen, Washington admired Jones for his iconic roles and talent.

“I wasn’t going to be as big as him. I wanted to sound like him. He was everything to me as a budding actor. He was who I wanted to be,” said Washington.

Washington’s next project is Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, where he expresses his admiration for the filmmaker and hints at potentially stepping away from cinema in the future.