Denzel Washington dismisses superstition surrounding Macbeth: ‘Didn’t listen’

Denzel Washington portrays considered one of William Shakespeare’s most well-known characters in The Tragedy of Macbeth, a brand new adaptation of the 400-year-old play the Oscar successful actor says he had by no means seen staged earlier than.
The Hollywood star performs the titular position in Joel Coen’s black and white movie model of the tragedy a few Scottish common who, spurred on by his spouse, commits homicide to entry the throne.
Fellow Oscar winner Frances McDormand performs Lady Macbeth within the stage-like film.
“It just so happens as fate would have it, I’ve never seen it. I wasn’t avoiding it. I just hadn’t seen it,” Washington informed Reuters in an interview.

“I was fortunate in that Joel and Fran and myself got together close to a year out from shooting and we started reading scenes together. We got to get into the material and ask questions and bounce off of each other and act a little bit and see how we all work together.”
From Peter O’Toole and Ian McKellen to James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, a protracted listing of actors have performed the lead in Macbeth, which is believed to have been first carried out within the early 1600s.
“That’s pressure, huh? Can you imagine that – someone walks up (and says) ‘Look, it’s been a great play for 400 years. Don’t mess it up. Good luck,” Washington, who beforehand starred in a manufacturing of Shakespeare’s Othello, joked.
“I didn’t feel that pressure. It was going to be a good play, whether I messed it up or not. It’ll continue to be and it’s open to interpretation. That’s the great thing about Shakespeare. It’s been done every which way you can. So this was Joel’s idea.”
Known as The Scottish Play, Macbeth is surrounded by superstition, one thing Washington mentioned he “didn’t pay much attention to”. “The list is too long. Every day there’s another thing you’re not supposed to do or something.”
The Tragedy of Macbeth, which has received rave critiques from critics, will launch on Apple TV Plus on Friday.