Being one of the most celebrated actors of all time, Denzel Washington hasn’t backed away from showcasing immense dedication to the material he is given. This results in the actor being completely dissolved into the character that he is playing in a particular film. Although method acting does help the actor in delivering exceptional performances on a regular basis, the impact of going full method can result in some offscreen tensions with his costars.

One of these moments of disturbance occurred during Washington’s time on 2004’s Man on Fire, which witnessed him starring alongside a 9-year-old Dakota Fanning.

Denzel Washington stopped communicating with Dakota Fanning in Man on Fire

In order to perfect his character in Man on Fire, Denzel Washington went full method, but it did go on to create some tensions between him and his costar. Considering The Equalizer star was playing the role of an ex-CIA officer turned bodyguard, who was protecting Fanning’s character, to completely dissolve into his role, he stopped talking to Fanning on sets. This resulted in the young actress complaining to the director of the film, and she would too distance herself from Washington behind the cameras for a while. Washington recalled,
“Dakota is great, mature and very charming. I was trying to get into character so I was keeping my distance from her and so she told Tony that I wasn’t talking to her so she wouldn’t talk to me either. I am convinced that she is actually 40.”
However, the rift between the two wouldn’t last too long, as Fanning and Washington would come along pretty well as they kept shooting, as the two had nothing but praise about each other.
Man on Fire (2004)

Dakota Fanning succeeded in earning Denzel Washington’s validation

Even though The Equalizer star wasn’t too experienced when it comes to working alongside child actors, he had no problem working with Dakota Fanning. Reflecting on their time together on the sets of Man on Fire, Denzel Washington claimed he was extremely impressed by Fanning’s ability as an actor and refused to call her a child star, as he stated she was an actor who was a child. He explained,
“In such a young little body and she’s very bright and honest as a human being and as an actor. And it’s refreshing, you know? You hear about, ‘oh don’t work with children and animals,’ whatever, but she’s not a child. She’s a young person, yes, but she’s very mature,” 
Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington in Man on Fire
After nearly 2-decades since their time together on Man on Fire, Dakota Fanning, and Denzel Washington are set to join forces once again in The Equalizer 3.

The Equalizer 3 is set to release on 1 September 2023. Man on Fire is available to stream on Apple TV.

Source: Future Movies