Famous quotes from Denzel Washington

July 14, 2023

Famous quotes from Denzel Washington

“Do what you gotta do so you can do what you wanna do.” - This quote is from his role as Melvin B. Tolson in The Great Debaters (2007), a movie about a college debate team that challenges Harvard in the 1930s.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about what you’ve done with those accomplishments. It's about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It's about what you’ve given back.” - This quote is from his book A Hand to Guide Me (2006), a collection of stories and lessons from his mentors and role models.

“What it taught me was forgiveness. It taught me that when people present themselves in a certain way, there’s probably some back story or issue or reason for the way that they are.
It’s not you. It’s them. And a lot of times, it's about something that’s completely out of their control.” - This quote is from his interview with Oprah Winfrey in 1999, where he talked about his experience playing Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a boxer who was wrongfully convicted of murder, in The Hurricane (1999).

“If you have an enemy, then learn and know your enemy, don’t just be mad at him or her.” - This quote is from his speech at the American Film Institute in 2002, where he received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“So you never know who you touch. You never know how or when you’ll have an impact, or how important your example can be to someone else.” - This quote is from his commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania in 2011, where he urged the graduates to pursue their passions and make a difference.

“Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.” - This quote is one of his personal mottos that he often shares in interviews and speeches.

“You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too. That’s a part of it.” - This quote is from his role as Robert McCall in The Equalizer (2014), a movie about a former CIA operative who helps people in need.

“The strongest, toughest men all have compassion. They’re not heartless and cold. You have to be man enough to have compassion - to care about people and about your children.” - This quote is from his interview with Reader’s Digest in 2006, where he talked about his father’s influence on him1.

“We do what we have to so we can do what we want to.” - This quote is from his role as Frank Lucas in American Gangster (2007), a movie about a notorious drug lord in the 1970s.