Delroy Lindo Taught Denzel Washington Two Important Lessons

Delroy Lindo has finally been nominated for an Oscar! The legendary actor has been working in the industry for almost fifty years. He’s wowed with lead and supporting performances. Television, movies, theater, the man has done it all. I was convinced that his work in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods, but he was snubbed. Now, six years after that, he has finally been recognized by the Academy, and it’s about time, because people like Denzel Washington have known how good Lindo is for years.

Denzel Washington is another incredible actor. Some have called him the greatest of all time, and I think that there is a solid argument for that. Washington is good no matter what film he is in, and, like Lindo, has demonstrated his immense talents across the screen and the stage. So, if Washington tells you that he thinks someone is a good actor, you listen. The man had that to say and then some about Lindo when he hosted a screening of Sinners last month, and now feels like as good a time as any to talk about it.

In a video of the event, Lindo makes it clear that Washington does not usually do talk-backs about other actors and their films. Regardless, the American Gangster star took time out of his presumably busy schedule to give Delroy Lindo his flowers, as the children say. It turns out that the two have not only worked together before, but they both attended the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco at the same time, and Lindo left an impact on Washington.

“I learned two things from Delroy,” Denzel explained to the crowd in attendance. “The first thing was that a loaf of wheat bread, a jar of honey, and a jar of peanut butter was all you need to survive.” Lindo quickly laughed and noted that they were students at the time, with Denzel calling him a “health nut.” They were joking around like old friends, which was delightful to see. With the joking aside, Denzel then explained how Lindo showed him how good someone could be at acting.

“The second thing I learned, which is really the first, is that there’s levels to this thing called acting,” he noted, after telling a story of seeing Lindo do his first scene for the Conservatory. Denzel watched as he and others were given notes after performing their first scene. Lindo, however, received no notes. That struck Denzel, and has stuck with him ever since.

Seeing Delroy Lindo get recognition from the Academy is pretty incredible, but I’d be lying if I said the recognition from Denzel didn’t feel more special.