Denzel Washington Admits There Is One Film He Still Regrets Turning Down

Prior to his rise as an elite dramatic force, Denzel Washington was primarily celebrated as one of the most charming leading men in the entertainment industry. His early television work on St. Elsewhere and his later roles in heartwarming features like Remember the Titans helped cultivate an image of him as an inherently likable figure.

However, the actor recently revealed that he had significant reservations about a project that is now considered a landmark of the thriller genre. Washington admitted to passing on the 1995 drama Se7en, largely because he was hesitant to work with David Fincher, who was then a relatively unproven filmmaker.

At that point in his career, Fincher was mostly known for directing high-end music videos for stars like Madonna. Coming off the troubled production of Alien 3, the director didn’t yet have the prestige that would normally attract a star of Washington’s caliber, especially after the actor’s powerful turns in Malcolm X and Crimson Tide.

While it isn’t confirmed which role he was offered, playing the veteran detective would have aligned with the wise, stable characters he often portrayed. Yet, Washington may have sensed that such a role was becoming too predictable for him during that specific phase of his professional life.

For years, Washington’s greatest strength was his immense likability, making him a protagonist that audiences were instinctively inclined to support. He eventually decided to shatter these expectations by taking on the role of the predatory Alonzo Harris in the 2001 film Training Day.

By portraying a figure of pure police corruption, Washington successfully moved away from his “good guy” persona and embraced a darker, more complex range. This departure from public expectation gave him the freedom to experiment with much more diverse roles throughout the following decades.

Since that shift, he has become a versatile artist capable of leading high-octane action franchises like The Equalizer while also tackling heavy dramatic material in films like The Book of Eli. He has also expanded his influence by stepping behind the camera to direct acclaimed adaptations such as Fences.

As this year begins, Denzel Washington remains one of the busiest and most respected figures in Hollywood. He is currently celebrating the critical success of Highest 2 Lowest, a mystery thriller released in late 2025 that saw him reuniting with Spike Lee for a modern reimagining of the Kurosawa classic High and Low.

Fans are also eagerly awaiting his next major project, Here Comes the Flood, a high-stakes heist film directed by Fernando Meirelles. The movie, which wrapped filming in January 2026, stars Washington alongside Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones and is scheduled to debut on Netflix later this year.

In addition to his heist projects, Washington is set to headline an untitled historical epic about the ancient general Hannibal. This passion project, which he has reportedly wanted to make for over twenty years, is being directed by his long-time collaborator Antoine Fuqua and written by Gladiator scribe John Logan.

Beyond his upcoming releases, Washington has been receiving significant praise for his scene-stealing performance in the recent Gladiator II. While the film itself received mixed reviews, critics were nearly unanimous in their claim that Washington’s charismatic villainy was the undisputed highlight of the production.

Do you think Denzel Washington’s career would have reached even greater heights if he had chosen to star in Se7en? Share your thoughts in the comments.