Denzel Washington proclaimed a real-life hero after video shows him helping a homeless man in police encounter
Don’t you love it when your big screen favorites are caught doing something heroic in real life?
Denzel Washington is the latest example of that, after he stopped and helped a homeless man who was, as TMZ reported May 22, “in some peril with oncoming traffic.”
Video footage of the Training Day star, which shows him comforting the man by patting him on the shoulder and waiting with the man during an encounter with police, resurfaced online Thursday. Shot May 21, it shows Washington and the officers on the scene each wearing a face mask throughout the interaction.
TMZ reported that the man was “detained — not sure why but possibly to make sure he was okay — then released.”
The Los Angeles Police Department said the man was not arrested.
A rep for Washington told Yahoo Entertainment the actor was unavailable for comment.
However, the internet could not stop talking about Washington’s good deed. The two-time Oscar winner’s name began trending on Twitter, on a day when interactions that black men, like the one Washington was filmed helping, have with police was very much on people’s minds.
Protests against police violence broke out around the country this week, following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, who died May 25 in police custody after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than seven minutes on a Minneapolis street. While officers have argued that Floyd was resisting arrest, surveillance video and witnesses say otherwise.
In the wake of another police brutality case, I'm glad someone approached what could've been a similar situation with peace & common sense.??#DenzelWashington pic.twitter.com/bZ5sK322fk
— Allie 💋 (@FallenAngel1508) May 28, 2020
#Denzel #DenzelWashington And he did it all while keeping his mask on. Rockstar status my dude.🤘🖤 pic.twitter.com/2RONAsmoMI
— Silvereyeshadow😷 (@NellieOlesonOG) May 28, 2020
This incident with Denzel interceding for the homeless man, just breaks my damn heart. Denzel out there in an old T-shirt, doing the good work. Maybe saving a life. Being a good example for all of us. Thank you, #DenzelWashington. https://t.co/VNKdn9CPmy
— Emily (@poppy1080) May 28, 2020
All KINGS don’t wear crowns. #DenzelWashington 💎👑 pic.twitter.com/R15YlEyJsX
— #TheBeardCollector (@HOLLYandherEGO) May 28, 2020
I knew my grandma liked you for a reason #DenzelWashington . Not many people, famous or not, would intervene on the behalf of a distressed homeless person. They're people too. Man just needed some food and water and his meds. You're a good dude.
— Jane Esterquest (@jesterquest) May 29, 2020
They also applauded him for just being a “good dude,” who was willing to help in a situation where not everyone would have done the same.
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