Denzel Washington Withdraws from Cannes Press Conference after Photographer Dispute

At the Cannes Film Festival, Denzel Washington skipped the press conference for his new film Highest 2 Lowest following a heated altercation with a photographer on the red carpet, where Washington was seen jabbing his finger at the photographer who appeared to grab his shirt. A lip-reading expert suggested Washington lost his temper after being repeatedly poked on the arm and warned the photographer to stop touching him. Director Spike Lee, who worked with Washington on five films including this remake of Akira Kurosawa's High and Low, addressed the actor's absence with a remark about not apologizing for a mistake, referencing his own past Cannes mishap in 2021. Lee also hinted that Highest 2 Lowest might be their final collaboration, noting Washington's talk of retirement despite recently signing another deal. The film is set for theatrical release in August and streaming in September. The incident adds to a history of tense moments on the Cannes red carpet, with previous disputes involving other celebrities like Kelly Rowland.