This week is Denzel Washington’s first time at the Cannes Film Festival in over three decades. Which is wild to think about – while Denzel has made plenty of studio films, films which don’t have to go through the festival circuit, he’s also made plenty of smaller-budget films, art house films with auteurs. You would have thought that Denzel would have been a regular at Cannes, but not so much. The festival was incredibly pleased to see him, and festival organizers apparently made some adjustments to their schedule to accommodate Denzel, who was basically just in town for a whirlwind 24 hours (his one day off from Othello on Broadway). The festival also had a huge surprise for Denzel ahead of the out-of-competition screening of Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest. Denzel was awarded an honorary Palme d’Or.
Denzel Washington was surprised at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday night with an honorary Palme d’Or, a career achievement acknowledgement that has been presented only 21 previous times. Ahead of an out-of-competition screening of his latest film, Spike Lee‘s Highest 2 Lowest, fest director Thierry Frémaux surprised the Oscar winner with the honor. Lee presented Washington with the honor after an introduction from Frémaux. The presentation saw Washington receive a huge standing ovation.
“This is a total surprise for me, so I’m emotional. It’s a great opportunity to collaborate with my brother once again, brother from another mother, and to be here once again in Cannes,” Washington said in part, after Lee previously referred to Washington as his brother and expressed his love for . “We’re a very privileged group in this room that we get to make movies and wear tuxedos and nice clothes and dress up and get paid for it as well. We’re just blessed beyond measure. I’m blessed beyond measure. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all.”
I’m including some of the videos below – Denzel genuinely seemed surprised and moved with the award. Spike was in on it! This honorary Palme d’Or comes in the same year that Denzel was snubbed for an Oscar nomination for Gladiator II AND snubbed for a Tony Award nomination for Othello. It definitely makes me wonder if other festivals and awards shows are prepared to start giving Denzel all of the honorary lifetime achievement awards now. Well… he already has the Cecil B. DeMille Award and an AFI tribute, but he’s never won one of the honorary Oscars or SAG Lifetime Achievement. He’s never been nominated for a BAFTA either, but he has an honorary BAFTA.
Something else happened in Cannes with Denzel – he got into it with a photographer on the carpet. I think one of the photographers grabbed Denzel’s jacket and pulled at him, and he went over and got in the guy’s face. The same guy then tried to grab Denzel’s arm and Denzel took care of the situation. That’s my interpretation of what happened.
Denzel Washington appeared to have a tense exchange on the "Highest 2 Lowest" red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival. 🎥: Getty pic.twitter.com/NirZELEloi
— New York Post (@nypost) May 19, 2025
Denzel Washington receives a surprise honorary Palme d'Or at @Festival_Cannes 🏆 pic.twitter.com/0UGjrdIyKJ
— Letterboxd (@letterboxd) May 19, 2025
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Spike Lee, A$AP Rocky and Denzel Washington pose during the “Highest 2 Lowest” photocall at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.,Image: 1000952671, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Olivier Huitel/Avalon
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- Denzel Washington attend the “Highest 2 Lowest” red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.,Image: 1001042684, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Olivier Sanchez/Avalon
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- Denzel Washington seen on the Red Carpet for Highest 2 Lowest during the 78th Festival de Cannes (Cannes International Film Festival) at Palais des Festivals, Cannes, , France on 19 May 2025. Picture,Image: 1001043082, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards/Avalon
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- Denzel Washington talking with photographers seen on the Red Carpet for Highest 2 Lowest during the 78th Festival de Cannes (Cannes International Film Festival) at Palais des Festivals, Cannes, , France on 19 May 2025. Picture,Image: 1001043130, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards/Avalon
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- A$ap Rocky and Denzel Washington attend the “Highest 2 Lowest” red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.,Image: 1001047264, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Olivier Huitel/Avalon
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- Denzel Washington receives the Honorary Palme d’Or ahead of the screening of the film ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival Featuring: Denzel Washington When: 19 May 2025 Credit: Starface Photo/Cover Images **UK AND USA RIGHTS ONLY**
I think Mr Washington showed extreme restraint. Completely out of order. I’m glad to read he was a no show at the press conference too
I’ve walked that carpet, as a lowly tail end attendee and the paparazzi there are extremely handsy and will swear and even spit to get your attention
I would have clocked that bloke. Denzel Washington is 70. It’s not unimaginable that someone could have caused him to fall or hurt himself
70 is not decrepit or fragile. There’s more chance that he could have hurt his hand busting that guy’s face than that someone could cause him to fall and hurt himself.
I love that he walks right up to the guy and says “don’t put your hands on me.” And then when he grabs him again, Denzel says “stop it” several times.
That paparazzo deserves a zap from a taser.
Mr. Washington is correct.
He and his peers are indeed blessed, and it’s nice to hear someone acknowledge that truth simply and directly.
Wow, that was so rude. You can’t grab a stranger like that. We usually don’t see them this close to the photographers, so I don’t know how unusual this behavior is, but if you touch someone like that, you should get kicked out. So disrespectful.
Who’s the paparazzo? That was assault.
Denzel will put a person in their place when they cross the line and I don’t blame him. If your parents didn’t teach you respect, he sure will. The photographer acted like it was a joke to put his hand on someone but Denzel shut him down and embarrassed him.
When I read that The D got the honorary Palme d’Or, I was happy that he finally got some of the recognition he so much deserves.
It’s sad though that he has been shut out of so many awards where he didn’t even get on the shortlist and was passed over for less deserving actors because of racism.
As to that man — how are these people even allowed to come close? I’ve last been to Cannes about a decade ago, but there used to be some kind of holding pen for the photographers who had to be accredited by an agency, so no paparazzi allowed. And people who didn’t belong were strictly kept off the carpet.
How can anyone in their right minds ever think this sort of behavior might be considered OK anywhere?
Good for Denzel to stand his ground.
He’s been nominated for an Oscar for acting 10 times and won both best actor and best supporting. He’s one of the most highly nominated actors of all time. He also has won multiple Golden Globes and a Tony.
It’s certainly fine to think he should’ve have won more or for different things or been nominated when he wasn’t, but he’s been on the shortlist plenty.
Not his first time at the festival. He was there for Much Ado. Pictures of photocall, red carpet with him, Branagh, Emma Thompson and Keanu Reeves easily found on various sites.
She said it was the first time in over 3 decades not first time ever. Much Ado was 1993 so over 3 decades ago….
The rest of the sentence was easily found at the end of what you did read and you clearly missed that. It’s good to give each other grace. We all have times where we miss the obvious.
70 or not, Denzel looks like he can still throw hands… that dude was lucky he just got cussed out.
Ooh no! I would be so mad if someone grabbed my arm like that. Denzel has the tall and broadish stature to intimidate him back and did. As a 5 foot tall woman, I wish I could back someone down that way.
Congratulations to Denzel! He is an actor for generations and it’s nice to see him recognized for his large body of work.
This isn’t the first time Denzel has put an overly familiar paparazzi or reporter in their place so I don’t know why they try him. He’s VERY clear this stuff is work and he’s not your uncle.
I was fortunate enough to see this movie a few months ago in a studio screening, and I really enjoyed it and was pleasantly surprised by ASAP Rocky even though he was basically playing himself 20 years ago. I hope it does well at theaters.
At this point, are they doing it to him on purpose bc wth.
Just because you see people on TV and in the movies doesn’t mean you know them. Keep your hands to yourself and don’t touch folks without permission. The pap is lucky Denzel didn’t throw hands, he seems like the type of person with a very low tolerance for nonsense.
That photographer should be suspended from being in the front row if he’s going to behave like that. That’s just disturbing to think he can grab someone like that and then do it again after the person told him to stop.
I remember working a corporate event with LOTS of media and it was CHAOTIC AF…and it didn’t take long for the Southside Chicago to come outta me for folks to start ACTING RIGHT!😡 Folks get REALLY disrespectful far too often in public forums…so I OVERSTAND where Mr. Washington was coming from!
Denzel handled it extremely well. The picture of the three men together smiling is iconic. Just lovely.
That boundary violator was grinning widely the whole time, indicative that he doesn’t know or respect boundaries, and wasn’t listening or learning anything from the Equalizer. And to grab at the Equalizer the second time? They have some grabby-hands there at Cannes. I love Denzel.