In England, royal movie premieres are a regular part of the release process for big budget films. Of course, meeting royalty requires a whole procedure for everyone involved—unless you’re Denzel Washington.
On Wednesday, while attending the royal premiere for “Gladiator II” in London, the Oscar winner reportedly chose the fans over proper royal procedure, cementing our devotion to the acting icon. A fan who was there posted on social media that when security told the “Fences” star that King Charles had arrived and he needed to go inside, Washington allegedly responded, “I make my own rules,” then continued to interact with fans.
Obviously, we don’t have confirmation that this is how the situation really happened, but we’re choosing to believe it, because the “Training Day” actor is the only one cool enough to pull this off.
We’re not the only ones who love this addition to the legend’s resume, because social media is going crazy for it.
“I see one king and it’s not Charles,” wrote one fan who definitely knows what’s up.
Another person admired Washington’s self-confidence, writing on X, “That’s classic Denzel! Always staying true to himself, no matter the situation.”
Someone else thinks organizers should’ve prepared for more than one king, writing, “I guess they didn’t get the memo, Denzel Washington is royalty too and will see the King when he’s ready.”
It wasn’t all smooth sailing, as things did get a little awkward when Washington finally met King Charles. As the monarch approached him, the actor didn’t quite know what to do with himself, saying, “I didn’t know if I was supposed to grab your hand.”
When Charles inquired about his character Macrinus, he continued to fumble for words, replying, “I’m ... just an awful … I’m a lovely man you’ll see. I’m a lovely chap.” Their meeting ended with the king complimenting Washington’s legendary career and “The Equalizer” star thanking him.
It’s very rare to see Denzel Washington being thrown off his game, so it’s interesting to note that even legends can get nervous and awkward from time to time.
“Gladiator II” storms into theaters Nov. 22.