Denzel Washington got into it with a handsy paparazzo at the Cannes film festival

This week is Denzel Washington’s first time at the Cannes Film Festival in over three decades. Which is wild to think about – while Denzel has made plenty of studio films, films which don’t have to go through the festival circuit, he’s also made plenty of smaller-budget films, art house films with auteurs. You would have thought that Denzel would have been a regular at Cannes, but not so much. The festival was incredibly pleased to see him, and festival organizers apparently made some adjustments to their schedule to accommodate Denzel, who was basically just in town for a whirlwind 24 hours (his one day off from Othello on Broadway). The festival also had a huge surprise for Denzel ahead of the out-of-competition screening of Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest. Denzel was awarded an honorary Palme d’Or.

Denzel Washington was surprised at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday night with an honorary Palme d’Or, a career achievement acknowledgement that has been presented only 21 previous times. Ahead of an out-of-competition screening of his latest film, Spike Lee‘s Highest 2 Lowest, fest director Thierry Frémaux surprised the Oscar winner with the honor. Lee presented Washington with the honor after an introduction from Frémaux. The presentation saw Washington receive a huge standing ovation.

“This is a total surprise for me, so I’m emotional. It’s a great opportunity to collaborate with my brother once again, brother from another mother, and to be here once again in Cannes,” Washington said in part, after Lee previously referred to Washington as his brother and expressed his love for . “We’re a very privileged group in this room that we get to make movies and wear tuxedos and nice clothes and dress up and get paid for it as well. We’re just blessed beyond measure. I’m blessed beyond measure. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all.”

[From THR]

I’m including some of the videos below – Denzel genuinely seemed surprised and moved with the award. Spike was in on it! This honorary Palme d’Or comes in the same year that Denzel was snubbed for an Oscar nomination for Gladiator II AND snubbed for a Tony Award nomination for Othello. It definitely makes me wonder if other festivals and awards shows are prepared to start giving Denzel all of the honorary lifetime achievement awards now. Well… he already has the Cecil B. DeMille Award and an AFI tribute, but he’s never won one of the honorary Oscars or SAG Lifetime Achievement. He’s never been nominated for a BAFTA either, but he has an honorary BAFTA.

Something else happened in Cannes with Denzel – he got into it with a photographer on the carpet. I think one of the photographers grabbed Denzel’s jacket and pulled at him, and he went over and got in the guy’s face. The same guy then tried to grab Denzel’s arm and Denzel took care of the situation. That’s my interpretation of what happened.

Denzel Washington appeared to have a tense exchange on the “Highest 2 Lowest” red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival. ????: Getty pic.twitter.com/NirZELEloi

— New York Post (@nypost) May 19, 2025

Denzel Washington receives a surprise honorary Palme d’Or at @Festival_Cannes ???? pic.twitter.com/0UGjrdIyKJ

— Letterboxd (@letterboxd) May 19, 2025

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.