How Did Denzel & Will (Especially Denzel) Avoid Being Stereotype Actors In Hollywood?

[Bawon Samedi]

I like denzel too but breh,
It's a reason why some people blow up in Hollywood and others don't.
And it's not talent

But not Denzel.

 

[Will Ross]

Denzel is a real actor it's as simple as that. The top black movies Stars over the last 30 plus years basically have been comedians that have no range and willing to do anything,

 

[Ghostface Trillah]

What you mean by this?

When studios/producers own the rights to great movies and have another questionable movie that they want to get made they try to get them done in a package deal. The actor has to sign on to do all the movies in the deal.

It's how Jamie Foxx got Ray, then followed it up with stealth and Jarhead

 

[TRFG]

Denzil asked some Jews if they thought it would be funny watching themselves get gassed

 

[Ziggiy]

Denzel hasn't worn a dress but he's been the white woman-saving black man in plenty of movies. Virtuosity, Man on fire, Equalizer, book of Eli, ect.

He's NEVER c00ned though. Even in those movies he never compromised himself for the betterment of the Cac woman. He even refused to have an interracial love scene with Julia Roberts in Pelican Brief.

To answer the question I've wondered this myself and I've come to the conclusion that talent, timing, and a bit of luck were on Denzel and Will Smith's sides when they blew up. Will Smith was struggling, in debt, and damn near broke when he got the go ahead for Fresh Prince. But he was still a star in the Hip Hop world and he had the benefit of being the first artist to introduce Hip Hop culture into mainstream prime time television.

Will Smith was also smart in the fact that once he blew up he and his manger sat down and mapped out a formula for what audiences wanted to see. It was THAT formula that catapulted him to eight straight $100 Million dollar grosses at the Box Office.


Denzel's talent is honestly once in a generation. He's in the Tom Hanks realm where he's good enough of an actor to play any role but charming enough where the audience wants to root for him regardless of if he's the villian or the hero. Audiences LOVE Alonzo. Just like Audiences rooted for Tom Hanks in Road To Perdition.

The only black actor right now who I think has Denzel/Will Smith appeal is Michael B. Jordan. He's a great actor (as proven in Fruitvale Station) proven leading man (As proven in Creed) and audiences root for him in everything he's in (as proven by The Wire/Friday Night Lights)

Only problem with MJB is he gives off STRONG c00n vibes.


John Boyega. Chadwicke Boseman, Lupita Nyongo, Teyonnah Parris, and Donald Glover all also have a chance to really make names for themselves as the next generation of black Hollywood, I don't know if they all posses the effortless "crossover" appeal that MJB has but we'll see

 

[Ziggiy]

When studios/producers own the rights to great movies and have another questionable movie that they want to get made they try to get them done in a package deal. The actor has to sign on to do all the movies in the deal.

It's how Jamie Foxx got Ray, then followed it up with stealth and Jarhead

Stealth was actually made like 2-3 years BEFORE Ray and kept getting pushed back. Not to say that you aren't right and that package deals don't happen (I remember Edward Norton talking about it) but Stealth and Jarhead aren't examples

 

[verbalkint]

Also money talks. They had leverage as long as they're profitable. 3-4 consecutive flops that dress would have come out.

 

[MillionMills]

He's NEVER c00ned though. Even in those movies he never compromised himself for the betterment of the Cac woman. He even refused to have an interracial love scene with Julia Roberts in Pelican Brief.

To answer the question I've wondered this myself and I've come to the conclusion that talent, timing, and a bit of luck were on Denzel and Will Smith's sides when they blew up. Will Smith was struggling, in debt, and damn near broke when he got the go ahead for Fresh Prince. But he was still a star in the Hip Hop world and he had the benefit of being the first artist to introduce Hip Hop culture into mainstream prime time television.

Will Smith was also smart in the fact that once he blew up he and his manger sat down and mapped out a formula for what audiences wanted to see. It was THAT formula that catapulted him to eight straight $100 Million dollar grosses at the Box Office.


Denzel's talent is honestly once in a generation. He's in the Tom Hanks realm where he's good enough of an actor to play any role but charming enough where the audience wants to root for him regardless of if he's the villian or the hero. Audiences LOVE Alonzo. Just like Audiences rooted for Tom Hanks in Road To Perdition.

Great points
I agree with talent, timing, little luck and I'll add in great agents as others have said

But yeah Denzel's talent is definitely once in a lifetime

 

[Jesus Is Lord]

Incredible talent
Marketability
Giving up the butt butt


All truth.

 

[Ghostface Trillah]

Stealth was actually made like 2-3 years BEFORE Ray and kept getting pushed back. Not to say that you aren't right and that package deals don't happen (I remember Edward Norton talking about it) but Stealth and Jarhead aren't examples

I'm not talking about when they were made cause I don't know which came first.

I'm speaking on the deal that got them made. I had a friend who helped broker the deal and those were the terms. He had to take those two movies to get Ray. Package deals happen more often than not and when the trash movie flops the actors usually catch the blame but can't say that they were forced to do it for professional purposes.

 

[Ziggiy]

I'm not talking about when they were made cause I don't know which came first.

I'm speaking on the deal that got them made. I had a friend who helped broker the deal and those were the terms. He had to take those two movies to get Ray. Package deals happen more often than not and when the trash movie flops the actors usually catch the blame but can't say that they were forced to do it for professional purposes.

Do you have any other examples of actors taking package deals? It'd be fun to know which actors were forced to do some old bullshyt to get the role they REALLY want.

Like I said. I know Edward Norton spoke on it once. He had to do one of those Bourne movies in exchange for another role he wanted

 

[Kaypain]

Chiwetel Ejiofor
Michael K. Williams

Both actors that need that breakthrough role

 

[Ghostface Trillah]

Do you have any other examples of actors taking package deals? It'd be fun to know which actors were forced to do some old bullshyt to get the role they REALLY want.

Like I said. I know Edward Norton spoke on it once. He had to do one of those Bourne movies in exchange for another role he wanted

I can't remember a lot of package deal movies off the top of my head. How I was told to spot them is when you see a actor with 2-3 movies in a row for one studio/producer and one was huge and the others were just average that's usually a giveaway

 

[Big Boss]

 

[BiggWebb79]

Picking the right roles and not being greedy when it comes to taking everything that comes their way.