Tuesday November 27, 2007

Denzel Washington says becoming a huge Hollywood star was never part of his childhood dream.

The American Gangster star revealed he wanted to be a football player rather than an Oscar-winning actor. “But God had his own plan,” he told US talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

Washington, 52, appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show alongside Forrest Whittaker to speak about new movie The Great Debaters.

The flick, which stars the two Academy Award Winners, was also directed by Washington and produced by Winfrey herself.

Washington told the chat show host he never had any intention of having such a successful acting career. “I wanted to be a football player,” he laughed. “My son is taking care of that for me, he’s living the dream.

“I studied theatre and thought I’d do Broadway shows one day and make $650 a week. “I had no intention of going to Hollywood and never really thought about it.”

Washington confessed he had chosen to direct The Great Debaters because he was a bit bored of just acting. “For a while I was ready to move on and do other things,” he said. “I don’t like to use the word ‘bored’, but it was time for me to do something else. “Getting behind the camera, I just have a fire – a passion – for it. I love seeing other people do well.”