Denzel Washington is one of the greatest actors of all time. That phrase is not just the name of a former podcast hosted by W. Kamau Bell and Kevin Avery, but also stands as fact. He’s been active as a performer, starting with his stage work, for 50 years, and at age 70 can still open a film and draw box office without slipping into superhero spandex.

But the peculiar thing with Denzel is that the name of his specific characters often clues the audience in on just what to expect before the two-time Academy Award winner with that confident smile hits the screen. And then he flips those expectations into something spectacular. (In latest Spike Lee joynt Highest 2 Lowest, their fifth collaboration, his name David King tips us off immediately to his ranking in the music business—and its preca

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