Oscar-winner Spike Lee is set to release his latest film Highest 2 Lowest. The highly anticipated film stars his longtime friend and fellow Academy Award winner Denzel Washington.
Not only has Lee worked on several films with Washington, but he enlisted John David Washington, Denzel’s son in the Oscar-winning film BlacKkKlansman,
During an interview at the Red Sea Film Festival, Lee spoke about working with Washington once again.
“Someone pointed out to me that the last time we worked together was 18 years ago. I was surprised because it didn’t feel that way. I’m very blessed to have done five films together, he is arguably the best actor on the planet,” he said.
“We’re brothers,” he said. “We just do our thing. We’re familiar with one another… our families are very tight.”
When describing their work in Malcolm X, Lee described Washington’s performance of the iconic freedom fighter as “the best performance in a biopic ever.”
Lee also shared how he prides himself on working with the best actors in the industry.
“Why would I work with Denzel only once? Or with John Turturro?” he said. “You want to surround yourself with great artists in front of and behind the camera.”
While Washington hinted at retirement, Lee says he still has more to accomplish. When asked about calling it quits, he had a hilarious response.
“Yeah. Here is the thing though. How old was Kurosawa when doing his last film? Can someone look that up? 81?” Lee said. “Yeah, I got some time left,” he said as the crowd laughed.
“Whether it’s God or Allah, I am blessed. If you are able to make a living doing what you love, that’s a blessing,” he continued. “And as I have gotten older, I have realized it was my destiny to become a filmmaker.”
Currently, Lee is in post-production on Highest 2 Lowest. The film is based on Japanese director Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller High and Low. According to Lee, his movie is a reinterpretation, not a remake.
Previously, Lee and Washington worked together on Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man.
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