Things seemingly got tense between Denzel Washington and a pushy photographer on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet for Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest.” The actor headlines the movie, his fifth collaboration with Lee, and appeared at Cannes for the first time since 1993’s “Much Ado About Nothing” brought him to the festival.
Video from the carpet shared by the New York Post sees the two-time Oscar winner pointing his finger at a photographer and shouting at him to “stop.” As Washington approaches, the photographer is seen trying to laugh off the confrontation and he puts his hands around the actor’s arm. Washington pulls himself away and again tells the photographer to stop. The photographers at Cannes are known to be shouty as they vie for stars’ attention.
Variety has reached out to Washington’s representative for comment.
Washington’s night rebounded once the “Highest 2 Lowest” premiere began. The actor was awarded a surprise Honorary Palme d’Or by Lee before the screening started. Cannes festival director Thierry Fremaux also introduced a montage of Washington’s films — including “Malcolm X” and “Mo Better Blues,” both directed by Lee — as well as his Oscar-winning performances in “Glory” and “Training Day.”
“Highest 2 Lowest” got a strong reaction in Cannes. The movie earned a 5.5-minute standing ovation and was praised by Variety‘s critic Peter Debruge, who wrote in his review: “It’s a film whose sensational third act more than justifies what might have seemed an unnecessary update.”
Directed by Lee, “Highest 2 Lowest” is an English-language remake of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film “High and Low.” Lee’s reimagining is set in modern day New York and stars Washington as a music mogul tied up in a life-or-death ransom plot.
“Highest 2 Lowest” will be released in theaters Aug. 22 and stream on Apple TV+ starting Sept. 5.
