Spike Lee Still Thinks “Malcolm X” Was a Robbery
Three decades after Malcolm X hit theaters, Spike Lee isn’t backing down: Denzel Washington should have taken home the Best Actor Oscar. During a GQ video interview promoting their new film Highest 2 Lowest, Lee once again lamented the Academy’s 1993 decision to give the award elsewhere. Yet Washington, ever the picture of calm resolve, brushed off the slight with 14 words that reveal his enduring perspective: “I’ve been at this a long time — I don’t care about Oscars.”
A Career Too Full for the Cinema
In the same interview with Lee and co-star A$AP Rocky, Washington made a surprising confession: he doesn’t even watch movies anymore. “I don’t watch movies, man. I really don’t,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t go to the movies. I don’t watch movies. … I’m tired of movies. Yeah.” When Lee pressed him on just how many he’s made, Washington guessed: “Too many. I think 50!”
It’s not hyperbole. The two-time Oscar winner has racked up over 40 credits since his 1981 debut in Carbon Copy, shaping modern cinema through roles that balance gravitas with charisma. His latest, Highest 2 Lowest, marks his fifth collaboration with Lee after Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man.
Beyond the Gold Statues
Washington’s casual dismissal of awards isn’t new—but it has struck a chord with fans. He went viral earlier this year after telling the “Jake’s Takes” podcast that accolades never factor into his choices: “I don’t do it for Oscars. I don’t care about that kind of stuff. … Man gives the award. God gives the reward.”
He added that on life’s final day, a golden statue won’t matter: “On my last day, [Oscars] aren’t going to do me a bit of good.” Even his trophies don’t hold much sentimental weight: “People ask me, ‘Where do I keep it?’ Well, next to the other one. I’m not bragging! Just telling you how I feel about it.”
The Lee-Washington Legacy Continues
Despite Washington’s insistence that he’s “tired of movies,” his partnership with Lee continues to generate excitement. Highest 2 Lowest, now in select theaters and streaming on Apple TV+, showcases a creative relationship spanning over 30 years—one that has repeatedly reshaped the boundaries of Black storytelling in Hollywood.
For Lee, Washington remains the actor who should have been crowned for Malcolm X. For Washington, the work has always been its own reward. As he reminded audiences: “I’ve been at this a long time—I don’t care about Oscars.” In an industry obsessed with validation, his indifference might be the most powerful statement of all.