Naomi Ruiz 
Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal star in 'Othello'/Photo credit: CBS
Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal are currently performing in Kenny Leon’s Broadway production of Othello that’s set in the near future, which has been running its official tour since last year.
In Leon’s adaptation of the popular Shakespeare play, Othello and Lago are written as military compatriots with the premise of Lago planning to sabotage Othello’s life and career after he was passed over for a promotion.
The show became the highest-grossing stage play with a total of $2.8 million in a single week after its debut. It is so popular that there is even massive excitement in Washington’s voice in his interview with CBS News alongside Gyllenhaal.
“I haven’t been this excited about anything I’ve done as I am about this,” Washington, who portrays the titular character Othello, said in an exclusive interview with CBS News.
Othello is Washington’s sixth onstage role while it’s the fourth role to date for Gyllenhaal, who “is widely celebrated for the emotional range and intensity he brings to roles.”
Washington humbly adores the theater so much, he even shuts down being called a “Hollywood actor” in the interview. He says, “What’s the definition of a Hollywood actor? Myself, I’m from Mount Vernon, so I’m a ‘Mount Vernon actor.’ I don’t know what ‘Hollywood’ means. Someone who’s famous on film? A film actor, great success on film?”
He continues and says, “I’m a stage actor who does film; it’s not the other way around. I did stage first. I learned how to act on stage, not on film.”
Then he ends his stance on the subject by saying this: “Movies are a filmmaker’s medium. You shoot it, and then you’re gone and they cut together and add music and do all of that. Theater is an actor’s medium. The curtain goes up, nobody can help you.”
Meanwhile, having connected a bond with Washington throughout working on the show together, Gyllenhaal had nothing but kind words to say about his co-star.
Gyllenhaal told CBS News: “To be working with someone you have admired for however long you have from afar and to be able to do a play like this with them… [Washington] is everything he says he is… He is a leader, he has a huge heart, he is complicated, and I take that complicated as a tremendous compliment.”
Othello is now available to purchase tickets here.
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