Denzel Washington Exits Cannes Film Festival After Confrontation with Photographer

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.

The Oscar-winning actor, 70, shocked fans the night before 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. 

Seemingly addressing Denzel’s absence at the press conference at the Palais des Festivals on Tuesday morning Spike, 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.’ 

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.

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.  

As Denzel turns to the photographer he appears to shout: ‘Hey, one — one more time, stop.

‘Let me tell you — stop, stop — never put your hands on me again,’ he appears to shout at the photographer, who had a bizarre grin plastered on his face throughout the exchange. 

‘I’m talking to you, stop, all right,’ he continued. 

According to Freeman, the photographer replies to Denzel by saying: ‘Not allowed,’ before laughing and adding, ‘Yes, yes, yes.’  

Despite the actor’s emphatic words and body language, the photographer can be seen grabbing at Denzel again in the clip, and he has the gall to ask, ‘Can I take a picture?’

Washington, who appears completely fed up at that point, shouts back: ‘Stop, stop it, stop it. I mean it. Stop, stop it.’

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. 

DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Washington for additional 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.

Cannes changed some of its scheduling to accommodate Washington’s trip, which came amid his lone off-day while performing Othello in New York. 

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.