Denzel Washington confronted a fan asking for his autograph after being accused of lying about his sobriety.
In a video shared on Monday (Oct. 27) by New York City autograph seeker GTVReality, the tense encounter between the two-time Oscar winner and the fan appears to have occurred around August 2025.
The situation escalated when Washington, sitting inside his car, told GTV to “get away” from him.
“It’s better when you’re drinking, Mr. Washington,” the autograph seeker remarked.
“I haven’t had a drink in about 15 years,” Denzel replied, prompting GTV to shoot back, “That’s a good lie.”
Trying to ease the tension, GTV added, “I saw you in Malcolm X, it’s my best movie. I used to watch it with my mom growing up, man.”
Washington then steered the conversation in a different direction, asking, “Do you believe in God?”
“Of course I believe in God,” GTV answered. “That’s why I wake up every morning and hustle, not hurt anybody or do dumb shit—do n**a shit that n**s do in the hood every day. I just get autographs, Mr. Washington. Seriously.”
As Washington’s car started moving through traffic, GTV followed alongside, pleading for an autograph. “Takes seconds to help a brother out,” he said.
When Washington motioned him closer, he showed him an image on his phone — a pair of eyes in the clouds — and asked, “Who do you think it is?” GTV replied, “It’s God.”
“Who do you think took that picture?” Washington asked before describing a moment of prayer. “I was praying to God. I couldn’t see your face. Everyone says they can see your face. I heard, ‘Turn to your left.’ That’s what I saw.”
“Listen to me,” Washington continued. “You can play games with me.” GTV quickly added, “But you can’t play with Him.” The actor ended the conversation with a stern warning: “Be careful when you talk to me about God.”
Washington’s statement in the clip — claiming he’s been sober for around 15 years — comes less than a year after he told Esquire in November 2024 that he was marking 10 years of sobriety.
In that interview, the Hollywood legend revealed he quit drinking at 60 after realizing he’d been consuming wine daily for over a decade, often finishing two pricey bottles each day.
“I’ve done a lot of damage to the body. We’ll see. I’ve been clean,” he said at the time. “Be 10 years this December. I stopped at 60 and haven’t had a thimble’s worth since. Things are opening up for me now—like being 70. It’s real. And it’s okay. This is the last chapter—if I get another 30, what do I want to do? My mother made it to 97.”
