Josh Brolin reflects on near fight with Denzel Washington on ‘American Gangster’ set

Josh Brolin revealed a heated moment with Denzel Washington during the filming of American Gangster in 2007.

Josh Brolin opened up about a tense encounter with Denzel Washington on the set of Ridley Scott’s 2007 crime drama, American Gangster. Speaking on the “In Depth With Graham Bensinger” podcast, the actor shared how a brief moment of conflict nearly escalated into a fight.

Brolin, who portrayed a detective opposite Washington’s portrayal of notorious drug lord Frank Lucas, described the intensity of the moment. According to Brolin, the incident stemmed from Washington’s method acting approach and a slight disagreement during rehearsal.

“Denzel was a little late to set,” Brolin said, explaining how Washington adjusted the structure of the scene. “I forgot a line and put my hand on his shoulder to ask for it. He hit my hand off and said, ‘Don’t ever f---ing put your hand on me.’”

Brolin admitted that he briefly thought the encounter might escalate into a physical altercation. “I thought, ‘Holy s---, I’m about to scrap with Denzel Washington,’” he recalled. However, the actors quickly diffused the tension. “I asked if he was okay, and he asked me the same. We got through the moment, and it was all good after that.”

The incident, Brolin clarified, was a fleeting clash driven by the pressures of filming, and the two actors enjoy a strong relationship today.

American Gangster, released in fall 2007, received critical acclaim and earned Ruby Dee an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. The film also marked the first collaboration between Washington and Ridley Scott, who reunited for the upcoming Gladiator II, a project Washington eagerly joined.

Fans of both Brolin and Washington can dive deeper into Brolin’s reflections in his memoir, From Under the Truck, now available.