Denzel Washington Receives Honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes Premiere with Spike Lee, A$AP Rocky

At the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, actor Denzel Washington received an honorary Palme d'Or ahead of the premiere of Spike Lee's latest film, 'Highest 2 Lowest,' which also stars A$AP Rocky. The film, a modern adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's 'High and Low,' explores themes of social inequality and moral conflict and marks Washington's first Cannes appearance. Spike Lee, known for his distinctive style, stood out on the red carpet in a colorful suit, while Washington and Rocky presented coordinated black-and-white outfits, drawing significant attention. Lee revealed he cast A$AP Rocky after seeing a meme comparing the rapper to Washington, a comparison also incorporated into the film. The film, which was shot in New York and features other notable actors such as Jeffrey Wright and Wendell Pierce, will be released in U.S. theaters in August and on Apple TV+ in September. The Cannes premiere was notable not only for the film but also for coinciding with the 100th birthday of Malcolm X, whom Lee previously honored in his 1992 film starring Washington.