Malcolm Washington Says Dad Denzel Is 'About the Work': 'Showing Up at the Award Show Right Before His Category' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Malcolm Washington and Denzel Washington at a screening of ‘The Piano Lesson’ on Nov. 16, 2024.Photo:Presley Ann/GettyDenzel Washingtonhas an approach to navigating Hollywood hisson Malcolmcan’t help but admire.“If you know anything about my dad, he’s about the work,” Malcolm, 33, tells PEOPLE atVariety’sCreative Impact Awardsand 10 Directors to Watch brunch in Palm Springs on Jan. 4.Denzel, 70, is often “showing up at the award show right before his category,” the filmmaker quips with a laugh. “He wants to do the work. And that’s the life that I’ve always valued as an artist’s life.”For directing and co-adapting August Wilson’s classic dramaThe Piano Lesson, Malcolm is amongVariety’s 10 Directors to Watch, honored alongsideZoë KravitzofBlink Twice, Coralie Fargeat ofThe Substanceand more. Now streaming on Netflix,The Piano Lessonwas aWashington familyaffair: Malcolm directed, his brotherJohn Davidstarred and Denzel produced.Malcolm Washington at the Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Jan. 04, 2025.David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via GettyThe award-winning film is alsodedicatedto Washington matriarchPauletta, married to Denzel since 1983. (They share twins Malcolm and Olivia, 33, Katia, 38, and John David, 40.) “She’s been such an influential figure in my life, not only in my rearing but just as an artist herself,” Malcolm tells PEOPLE. “She’s like my hero, you know, [who] I admire. I want to live a life like I watch her live.”The same goes for Denzel. The two-time Oscar winner has taught Malcolm how to “have a consciousness about you, reflect your moral view in your work, focus and dedicate yourself to the work,” he says.(Left-right:) Denzel Washington, Katia Washington, Pauletta Washington, John David Washington and Malcolm Washington at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘The Piano Lesson’ on Nov. 19, 2024.Jon Kopaloff/Getty“What comes after,” Malcolm adds of promoting movies, “is for the people. This part is designed for the people.”Given his father’s many accolades, is Malcolm familiar with Hollywood’s awards circuit? “Not at all,” he admits with a smile. What he’s learned from Denzel, he says, is that “this part is fun, traveling and doing this stuff is fun. But it just doesn’t fulfill you, it doesn’t sustain you. The thing that sustains you is speaking your truth, is making work that’s honest… reaching for something that is larger than you.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.(Left-right:) Pauletta Washington, Malcolm Washington and Denzel Washington at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10, 2024.Mat Hayward/GettyGoing through that process alongside his brother and father is what madeThe Piano Lessonsuch a personal project, says Malcolm. “You’re coming together as a family to acknowledge and honor the parts of your ancestors that came before you and made that possible. The mission was so high and so important and bigger than any of our individual selves. That inspired a kind of coming together and inspired a kind of a community.”The Piano Lesson, costarringSamuel L. Jackson, Danielle Deadwyler, Ray Fisher, Corey Hawkins and more, is streaming on Netflix.

Malcolm Washington and Denzel Washington at a screening of ‘The Piano Lesson’ on Nov. 16, 2024.Photo:Presley Ann/Getty

Presley Ann/Getty

Denzel Washingtonhas an approach to navigating Hollywood hisson Malcolmcan’t help but admire.“If you know anything about my dad, he’s about the work,” Malcolm, 33, tells PEOPLE atVariety’sCreative Impact Awardsand 10 Directors to Watch brunch in Palm Springs on Jan. 4.Denzel, 70, is often “showing up at the award show right before his category,” the filmmaker quips with a laugh. “He wants to do the work. And that’s the life that I’ve always valued as an artist’s life.”For directing and co-adapting August Wilson’s classic dramaThe Piano Lesson, Malcolm is amongVariety’s 10 Directors to Watch, honored alongsideZoë KravitzofBlink Twice, Coralie Fargeat ofThe Substanceand more. Now streaming on Netflix,The Piano Lessonwas aWashington familyaffair: Malcolm directed, his brotherJohn Davidstarred and Denzel produced.Malcolm Washington at the Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Jan. 04, 2025.David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via GettyThe award-winning film is alsodedicatedto Washington matriarchPauletta, married to Denzel since 1983. (They share twins Malcolm and Olivia, 33, Katia, 38, and John David, 40.) “She’s been such an influential figure in my life, not only in my rearing but just as an artist herself,” Malcolm tells PEOPLE. “She’s like my hero, you know, [who] I admire. I want to live a life like I watch her live.”The same goes for Denzel. The two-time Oscar winner has taught Malcolm how to “have a consciousness about you, reflect your moral view in your work, focus and dedicate yourself to the work,” he says.(Left-right:) Denzel Washington, Katia Washington, Pauletta Washington, John David Washington and Malcolm Washington at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘The Piano Lesson’ on Nov. 19, 2024.Jon Kopaloff/Getty“What comes after,” Malcolm adds of promoting movies, “is for the people. This part is designed for the people.”Given his father’s many accolades, is Malcolm familiar with Hollywood’s awards circuit? “Not at all,” he admits with a smile. What he’s learned from Denzel, he says, is that “this part is fun, traveling and doing this stuff is fun. But it just doesn’t fulfill you, it doesn’t sustain you. The thing that sustains you is speaking your truth, is making work that’s honest… reaching for something that is larger than you.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.(Left-right:) Pauletta Washington, Malcolm Washington and Denzel Washington at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10, 2024.Mat Hayward/GettyGoing through that process alongside his brother and father is what madeThe Piano Lessonsuch a personal project, says Malcolm. “You’re coming together as a family to acknowledge and honor the parts of your ancestors that came before you and made that possible. The mission was so high and so important and bigger than any of our individual selves. That inspired a kind of coming together and inspired a kind of a community.”The Piano Lesson, costarringSamuel L. Jackson, Danielle Deadwyler, Ray Fisher, Corey Hawkins and more, is streaming on Netflix.

Denzel Washingtonhas an approach to navigating Hollywood hisson Malcolmcan’t help but admire.

“If you know anything about my dad, he’s about the work,” Malcolm, 33, tells PEOPLE atVariety’sCreative Impact Awardsand 10 Directors to Watch brunch in Palm Springs on Jan. 4.

Denzel, 70, is often “showing up at the award show right before his category,” the filmmaker quips with a laugh. “He wants to do the work. And that’s the life that I’ve always valued as an artist’s life.”

For directing and co-adapting August Wilson’s classic dramaThe Piano Lesson, Malcolm is amongVariety’s 10 Directors to Watch, honored alongsideZoë KravitzofBlink Twice, Coralie Fargeat ofThe Substanceand more. Now streaming on Netflix,The Piano Lessonwas aWashington familyaffair: Malcolm directed, his brotherJohn Davidstarred and Denzel produced.

Malcolm Washington at the Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Jan. 04, 2025.David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty

David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty

The award-winning film is alsodedicatedto Washington matriarchPauletta, married to Denzel since 1983. (They share twins Malcolm and Olivia, 33, Katia, 38, and John David, 40.) “She’s been such an influential figure in my life, not only in my rearing but just as an artist herself,” Malcolm tells PEOPLE. “She’s like my hero, you know, [who] I admire. I want to live a life like I watch her live.”

The same goes for Denzel. The two-time Oscar winner has taught Malcolm how to “have a consciousness about you, reflect your moral view in your work, focus and dedicate yourself to the work,” he says.

(Left-right:) Denzel Washington, Katia Washington, Pauletta Washington, John David Washington and Malcolm Washington at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘The Piano Lesson’ on Nov. 19, 2024.Jon Kopaloff/Getty

Jon Kopaloff/Getty

“What comes after,” Malcolm adds of promoting movies, “is for the people. This part is designed for the people.”

Given his father’s many accolades, is Malcolm familiar with Hollywood’s awards circuit? “Not at all,” he admits with a smile. What he’s learned from Denzel, he says, is that “this part is fun, traveling and doing this stuff is fun. But it just doesn’t fulfill you, it doesn’t sustain you. The thing that sustains you is speaking your truth, is making work that’s honest… reaching for something that is larger than you.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

(Left-right:) Pauletta Washington, Malcolm Washington and Denzel Washington at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10, 2024.Mat Hayward/Getty

Mat Hayward/Getty

Going through that process alongside his brother and father is what madeThe Piano Lessonsuch a personal project, says Malcolm. “You’re coming together as a family to acknowledge and honor the parts of your ancestors that came before you and made that possible. The mission was so high and so important and bigger than any of our individual selves. That inspired a kind of coming together and inspired a kind of a community.”

The Piano Lesson, costarringSamuel L. Jackson, Danielle Deadwyler, Ray Fisher, Corey Hawkins and more, is streaming on Netflix.

source: people.com