Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal have taken Broadway by storm with Othello, which has become the highest-grossing Broadway play ever, earning $2.8 million in a week.
Denzel Washington plays Othello, while Jake Gyllenhaal portrays the cunning Iago. Their performances have captivated audiences, making the production a massive success. Denzel Washington, known for Glory and Training Day, insists he is a stage actor first. “I learnt acting on stage, not in films. Theatre belongs to the actors,” he said.
This is his sixth Broadway appearance and his return to Othello, a role he first played as a drama student. Now 70, Denzel Washington believes his life experiences bring new depth to the character.
Jake Gyllenhaal, performing Shakespeare for the first time professionally, plays Iago, a role that allows him to interact with the audience. “Every night feels different,” he said. With a career spanning films like Brokeback Mountain and Nightcrawler, he has seamlessly adapted to the intensity of live theatre.
This modern take on Othello is set in the near future, touching on themes like PTSD among soldiers.
Denzel Washington believes it goes beyond jealousy, saying, “It’s about two soldiers who trust each other until that trust is broken.”
With Othello already a record-breaking hit, ticket prices have soared to nearly $1,000. Despite the cost, audiences continue to fill the theatre. Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington both cherish this experience.
“I’ve worked my whole career for this,” said Gyllenhaal. Washington agreed, adding, “This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.”
Back in 2024, reports about Denzel Washington’s imminent retirement began circulating in the media after the actor, in an earlier interview, indicated that he wanted to make films with the best and then bid farewell to the industry.
“At this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with the best. I don’t know how many more films I will make; probably not that many. I want to do things that I haven’t done,” said Denzel Washington.
During the interview, the ‘Gladiator 2’ actor also confirmed that he will be playing a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ‘s ‘Black Panther 3’ directed by Ryan Coogler. It is to be noted that Marvel has not yet announced the film’s third instalment.