Denzel Washington got into a heated exchange with a photographer at Cannes after being grabbed on the red carpet
Denzel Washington confronted a pushy photographer on the Cannes red carpet Tuesday (May 14) after the man grabbed his arm during a conversation with A$AP Rocky and Spike Lee, prompting the actor to snap back with a pointed warning.
The tense moment unfolded just before the premiere of Washington’s new film, Highest 2 Lowest, when the photographer reached out to get his attention.
Washington immediately pulled away and appeared to say, “stop it, stop it, stop it,” while pointing at the man.
He then yanked his arm back and seemed to say, “Don’t ever put your hands on me again,” before walking off.
The photographer laughed, apparently trying to defuse the situation, but that only seemed to irritate Washington more.
Denzel Washington Surprised With Honorary Palme d’Or At Cannes
Despite the awkward exchange, the night took a sharp turn when Washington was surprised with an honorary Palme d’Or during the film’s out-of-competition debut.
“This is a total surprise for me, so I’m a little emotional,” Washington said as he accepted the award from director Spike Lee. “But from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all.”
He continued, “It was a great opportunity to collaborate with my brother once again — brother from another mother, Spike.”
The two have worked on multiple projects over the years, and Washington clarified how much the moment meant to him.
“To be here once again in Cannes, you know, 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,” he said. “You know, we’re just blessed beyond measure, I’m blessed beyond measure, and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you all. Thank you.”
Cannes just surprised an emotional Denzel Washington with an honorary Palme d’Or pic.twitter.com/6lUODgwKHf
— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) May 19, 2025
Highest 2 Lowest hits select theaters on August 22 and will stream on Apple TV+ starting September 5, 2025.
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