Denzel Washington PULLS OUT of Cannes Film Festival event after lashing out at photographer in red carpet showdown

By REBECCA LAWRENCE FOR MAILONLINE

Published: 10:58 BST, 20 May 2025 | Updated: 11:16 BST, 20 May 2025

Denzel Washington has pulled out of the press conference for Highest 2 Lowest following his altercation with a photographer at Cannes Film Festival.

The Oscar-winning actor, 70, shocked fans on Monday night when he was seen pointing his finger in the face of one of the snappers during the dramatic exchange.

He is in France to promote his new film, which has been directed by Spike Lee, and had been billed to attend  a press conference for the movie at the Palais des Festivals on Tuesday morning.

Yet journalists were left disappointed when he did not appear alongside the film’s cast for the event. 

Seeming to hint at Washington’s absence at the conference, Lee, 68, quipped: ‘The last time I was in this room, I had to apologise for a f**k up, but I won’t be apologising today for a f**k up.’ 

Highest 2 Lowest, is a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low, and will be released in theaters by A24 August 22 before streaming on Apple TV+ September 5.

Denzel Washington has pulled out of the press conference for Highest 2 Lowest following his altercation with a photographer at Cannes Film Festival on Monday 

He is in France to promote his new film, which has been directed by Spike Lee, and had been billed to attend a press conference for the movie at the Palais des Festivals on Tuesday 

The stars have been on the promotional trail for the new film, but while attending the film’s premiere, Washington found himself in a red carpet altercation. 

Expert lip reader Jeremy Freeman has since told DailyMail.com that the Malcolm X star appeared to have been set off by a photographer tapping him on the arm. 

Despite the intensity of his words, many of the photographers surrounding Washington — including the one he was yelling at — were smiling, suggesting that they may not have realized how upset he was.

However, the actor has a long history of tense interactions with photographers over the years. 

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Washington and Cannes Film Festival for comment. 

Before calling out the photographer, Denzel had been standing on the red carpet with his Highest 2 Lowest costar, the rapper-turned-actor A$AP Rocky, 36.

Despite his spat, Washington was in great spirits when he was later surprised with an honorary Palme d’Or award by director Spike Lee.

Seemingly addressing Washington’s absence at the conference, director Spike Lee, 68, joked: ‘The last time I was in this room, I had to apologise for a f**k up, but I won’t be apologising today for a f**k up’ (pictured at the photocall on Monday morning) 

Handing the award over to Washington, Spike said: ‘This is my brother, right here.’

‘This is a total surprise for me!’ the actor replied. 

The actor, who posed for photos with Spike and A$AP Rocky, showed no signs of jet lag and was expected to fly back to New York immediately after the screening.

When the festival first announced its lineup last month, Highest 2 Lowest wasn’t included. 

But within hours, however, Spike himself announced the film was heading to Cannes and representatives for the festival said they had been waiting for confirmation that Denzel would attend the red carpet. 

The tirade comes seven months after Washington was filmed exploding at autograph hunters  in New York City in October 2024.

 

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Denzel Washington PULLS OUT of Cannes Film Festival event after lashing out at photographer in red carpet showdown

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