Summary
Denzel Washingtonand Morgan Freeman are two of the best actors in Hollywood, and they united for a tremendous war movie in the 1980s. Through their careers, both Washington and Freeman have made extremely prominent names for themselves. Both the list ofDenzel Washington’s best moviesand the list ofMorgan Freeman’s greatest filmsinclude some absolutely iconic projects. Those lists prove Freeman and Washington are two of the greatest actors ever, and they have one entry in common.
Though they don’t often work together, Washington and Freeman have come close to collaborating occasionally.Denzel Washington has turned down some major rolesin his career, and Morgan Freeman ended up securing a part in two of those movies. Washington was originally offered the role of Detective Mills inSe7en, which eventually went to Brad Pitt instead. He also missed out on starring inAmistad, and Djimon Honsou took his spot instead. Neither of those films would have been the first time Washington and Morgan worked together, though, as they collaborated on a tremendous war movie in 1989.
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Throughout his long & influential career, Denzel Washington has cemented himself as one of the greatest actors of all time, & his movies show it.
Glory Starred Denzel Washington & Morgan Freeman - What The Movie Is About
Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman co-starred inGloryin 1989.Gloryfollows the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first Black regiments of the Union Army during the Civil War, from its creation to its most devastating defeat at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner.Washington played Private Silas Trip and Freeman played Sergeant Major John Rawlins, two fictional soldiers under the command of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick). By the end ofGlory, Shaw and his troops ultimately learned to respect one another, and the 54th’s devastating sacrifice at Fort Wagner earned them the respect of the Union Army.
Cpl. Thomas Searles
Denzel Washington & Morgan Freeman Are Both Great In Glory
Since it was first released,Gloryhas become one ofthe best Civil War movies ever made, and it’s thanks in large part to Washington’s and Freeman’s performances.Freeman’s character, Rawlins, was right in his wheelhouse, and he played the role flawlessly. Rawlins was a natural leader to his other soldiers, and he brought wisdom that the 54th needed to become an effective unit. It was a role that seemed to be tailor-made for Freeman, and he was a big reasonGlorysecured a critic score of 95% and an audience score of 93% onRotten Tomatoes.
While Freeman was great inGlory, Washington was the real standout of the film’s cast. Washington was tremendous as Trip, and he made his character’s transformation from an angry young man with good intentions into a brave soldier and leader extremely believable.One scene in particular encapsulates how good Washington is inGlory: when Trip was flogged for desertion. Washington’s performance made Trip’s pain feel real and heartbreaking, and he beautifully balanced that pain with Trip’s pride, rage, and contempt. It’s one ofthe best scenes of Denzel Washington’s career, and it likely helped him win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman appeared in one other project together beforeGlory. In 1979, both actors were in a production ofCoriolanus, a stage play about Ancient Rome.
Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman clearly proved that they worked tremendously well together inGlory. They both gave spectacular performances on their own, but they also meshed incredibly well. Freeman’s cooler, more experienced Rawlins perfectly complemented Washington’s hotter, more passionate Trip. The synergy between their characters was a crucial part ofGlory, as it helped make both of their characters' transformations more believable, which was a key part of its emotional core. ThoughDenzel Washingtonand Morgan Freeman rarely work together, when they do unite as they did inGlory, they’re capable of making an extraordinary movie.
