Josh Brolin Reveals How He Nearly Came To Blows With Denzel Washington On Film Set

When we're watching a really great TV show or movie, it's easy to forget that we're not just looking at characters; we're looking at people who have real lives off set, who sometimes have the same experiences we do.

Josh Brolin, for example, just admitted that he almost got into a fight with Denzel Washington when tensions got really high on set.

Preparing for the launch of Gladiator 2 and promoting the launch of his memoir From Under the Truck, Brolin was interviewed by Graham Bensinger, where some of his previous roles came up, including Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and his part in American Gangster, in which Denzel Washington also starred.

During the interview, Brolin reflected on what it was like to work with Washington during American Gangster.

"There was a whole thing there, and then he showed me the lines, and he said, he didn't change any of my lines, but he kind of changed the structure of it."

"He said, 'I think I'm going to put this down here, and I'm going to put that up there,' but he wouldn't really look at me."

"I'm supposed to be super confident. It's Denzel Washington, man. It's, like, not easy. You're just this actor who they're trying out, seeing if he's the real thing or not."

Brolin struggled to keep up with the transition but didn't want to say so.

"[I put my hand on his shoulder, and] I said, 'What's the line?' and he hit my hand off, and he said, 'Don't ever f**king put your hand on me.'"

"And I was like, 'Holy s**t, I'm going to scrap with Denzel Washington. This is crazy. We're not actors anymore, at least in my mind. In his mind, he was just doing his job. He was that guy. He was Frank Lucas. Period. But I didn't know."

The tension resolved, and the pair was able to check in with each other to make sure they were both okay. Once they were on the same page again, Brolin asked about the line again, but this time with no touching, and they were able to continue with the scene.

You can watch the interview here:

Some pointed out that Washington's reaction was a sign of good method acting.

Others were sure tensions had been high but that no fight was about to happen.

While viewers could empathize with emotions running high on set, they believed that the conflict had more to do with method acting and being in character than an actual spat.

Given the intensity of most of Washington's characters, it would stand to reason that he'd be intense on set, though it's also understandable why this would be so memorable for Brolin.