The actor Denzel Washington has revealed that his favorite movie is Hurricane Carter, a biopic released in 1999 that tells the life of Rubin Carter, a boxer who was wrongfully accused and sentenced to three life terms for a triple murder. Despite its intense dramatic weight and Washington’s talent, the film, directed by Norman Jewison, did not achieve the expected commercial success, grossing 74 million dollars against a budget of 50 million.
Although Washington received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Carter, he did not take home the statue, a fact that still weighs on him. In an interview with Total Film, the actor expressed his dissatisfaction with how the release was handled, indicating that the studio prioritized the awards race, which harmed the film’s exposure. The studio did not release it properly and it got buried, he stated.
Washington’s decision to give up his voting rights to his wife in future Oscar elections reflects how personal this experience became for him. Despite the disappointment, the actor holds a special affection for Hurricane Carter, considering it a work of great relevance that deserved a better fate at the box office and during awards season.
In this era of revivals and remakes, many wonder if the story of Rubin Carter will ever be revisited on the big screen, perhaps with an approach that captures the attention it deserved at its original release. For now, the legacy of the film and Washington’s performance remain a significant part of his career, in addition to opening the debate about the unjust setbacks of film projects that, despite their quality, fail to resonate at the box office.