Denzel Washington is one of the most popular actors in Hollywood. In his career spanning nearly five decades, he has established his reputation as one of the most respectable stars in show business.

From Ridley Scott to Spike Lee, he has worked with a wide range of directors. Not to mention the expansive number of accolades he has won for his immaculate performances.

Denzel Washington has worked with numerous A-list actors over the years. One of these is Julia Roberts who is known for her dazzling smile and is the kind of actress who never really loses the spotlight.

Despite refusing to kiss her in the movie that they worked in together, Washington once said that he would do things for her that he would not do for anyone else.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington Went Out of His Way for Julia Roberts

Denzel Washington worked with Julia Roberts in the 1993 movie The Pelican Brief, directed by Alan J. Pakula. The movie was adapted from John Grisham’s novel of the same name.

In the movie, Roberts is seen as a young law student who finds the conspiracy about the killing of two Supreme Court justices and works with Washington’s character Gray Grantham, an investigative journalist, to uncover the truth.

Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts in The Pelican Brief
The Mo’ Better Blues actor is a firm believer in the fact that he is solely selling his movies, he has no reason for attending any award shows or any other such events.

In an interview with Playboy magazine (via Far Out magazine) in 2002, he revealed his mindset about it, saying: “I don’t go in for that at all. I’m not at the events, hugging and kissing. It’s not my style. I’m selling the movie; I’m not selling me.” 

Despite this, Denzel Washington attended the premiere of Erin Brokovich, a movie that he did not even star in. One might wonder why he attended it then.

The Equalizer star had a very straightforward to that question: “Julia Roberts asked me. I would do anything for her.” According to him, Roberts is one of those very genuine people out in the world, so very much like himself. Consequently, they resonate with each other.

Denzel Washington Refused to Kiss Julia Roberts

Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts
Despite having such a strong bond with Julia Roberts, Washington refused to kiss the actress. Both of them were superstars in their own right when they starred in The Pelican Brief and had excellent chemistry in the movie.

His decision not to kiss Roberts raised a lot of questions to the point that the actors had to address the matter.

When questioned by Newsweek if the Notting Hill actress was the one who refused to do any love scenes with her co-star, she took it upon himself to debunk it and said that it was in fact, not her who did that.

On the contrary, it was Washington who refused to do the scene and he explained his reasoning for it, saying: “Black women are not often seen as objects of desire on film. They have always been my core audience.”

In a way, Denzel Washington saved the movie from potential damage because the last actress he kissed onscreen was Mimi Rogers, and he had to face a lot of criticism for it. No wonder he chose to opt out of it the second time.