Denzel Washington is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors ever, but he’s not a fan of watching his own movies. Recently, Washington shared, “I watch my work so I know what I’m talking about, but I’ve never watched any of my past films from start to finish—not even Malcolm X. All you notice are the mistakes. And really, why bother?”

He compared it to writing, asking interviewer Jonathan Dean if he rereads his own articles (“Absolutely not”). Washington said, “It’s the same thing. ‘Oh wow, I nailed that sentence — I should use that again.’”

Reflecting on the year 2000, when the original Gladiator came out, Washington said, “Life has three stages: you learn, you earn, and you give back. If you live 90 years, the first 30 are for learning, the next 30 for earning, and after that, it’s about giving back. Back then, I was in my earning phase.”

“With a great agent, my career took off, and I started earning. Life happened too — bills, four kids, and a house,” he added. “But after Malcolm X, I made some real duds. Look them up — I’m not naming names.” He said those movies, which he calls his “clunkers,” were all from the 1990s.

Even with those missteps, Washington said he always brought his best to every project. “You bring yourself to your work. I think I’m a good person who tries to do the right thing. I’ve got a great job, and maybe people sense that goodness in my roles. No matter what, you give it your all. And I try to help people along the way.”

He shared a story about stopping for gas and noticing a stressed woman. “I’m sensitive, I guess. My sister is bipolar, so I could tell she was struggling mentally. I asked how she was doing and offered her money. I said, ‘$500?’ She said no — she wanted $1,000! I thought, ‘Well, she’s not that out of it.’”

The woman didn’t recognize him, but he still gave her the money. Later, when a store employee looked ready to shoo the woman away, Washington stepped in. “The woman saw me and said, ‘I love you!’ I told her, ‘You have the chance to help someone, like I helped her.’ And she did. I love moments like that.”

As for the rumored same-sex kiss in Gladiator II, Washington confirmed it was filmed but didn’t make the final cut. “I think they got scared,” he finally said.

Do you agree with Denzel? Let us know in the comments below.