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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 8 June 2019
Julia Roberts, Spike Lee toast Denzel Washington at event

By LINDSEY BAHR colm X is the greatest per-
Associated Press formance ever committed
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Den- to celluloid."
zel Washington was the And others were just as ef-
man of the hour Thursday fusive. Roberts recalled
night with everyone from that working with him on
Julia Roberts to Spike Lee "The Pelican Brief" was like
turning out to celebrate "working with the Beatles."
him as this year's recipient He is, as Jamie Foxx put it,
of the AFI Life Achievement "someone who is just bet-
Award. But when he finally ter than everybody else ...
took the stage to accept when it comes to acting!"
the honor he did something "Even Leonardo DiCaprio is
unexpected: At his own like, 'I am really frightened
award ceremony, Wash- of Denzel,'" Foxx added.
ington turned the spotlight The American Film Institute
away from himself and brought out a host of the
gave his wife of 40 years, next generation's brightest
Pauletta Washington, her talents to talk about Wash-
own standing ovation. ington's impact on them,
The crowd of multigenera- too.
tional Hollywood A-listers, "Mr. Washington's arrival
from Michael B. Jordan and was a seismic moment for
Mahershala Ali to Cicely Ty- my generation. You paved
son and Morgan Freeman, Actor Denzel Washington addresses the audience during the 47th AFI Life Achievement Award the way," Ali said. "Your in-
readily obliged. ceremony honoring him at the Dolby Theatre, Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Los Angeles. fluence, your reach tran-
"I would not be alive with- Associated Press scends race without ever
out Pauletta Washington," denying it."
Washington said. "I wouldn't Washington to his feet, but hours taken on an emo- Man"). "Denzel represents Michael B. Jordan said he
survive." he managed to do it. tional tour through his sto- our black manhood." was inspired by the story
It's a difficult task to have As Roberts, Tyson and oth- ried career in Hollywood Lee, the final speaker of that while filming "Glory,"
a moment stand out in an ers attested throughout the — from eager newcomer the evening, likened Wash- Washington kept wearing
evening that included a evening, two-time Acad- to movie star to acclaimed ington to other "G.O.A.Ts" his fake scars in a scene
surprise Beyoncé appear- emy Award-winner Den- director — by those who (greatest of all time) like Mi- where he had his shirt on.
ance (there briefly to pres- zel Washington is a family were by his side. chael Jordan, Ella Fitzger- Jordan employed the
ent an honor to director man first. Seated alongside "We're all here because we ald and Miles Davis. same technique for his
Melina Matsoukas) and an Pauletta Washington, his love Denzel," said Lee, who "That's the rarefied air that "Black Panther" character.
earth shattering rendition son Malcolm Washington, has directed Washington Denzel Washington lives Chadwick Boseman even
of Sam Cooke's "A Change Lee, Tyson and directors in four movies ("Mo' Bet- and breathes in," Lee said. went so far as to say, "There
is Gonna Come" by Jen- Carl Franklin and Ed Zwick, ter Blues," ''He Got Game," Lee also said that, although is no 'Black Panther' without
nifer Hudson that brought the 64-year-old was for two ''Malcolm X" and "Inside he might be biased, "Mal- Denzel Washington."q

The cast of Broadway's 'Ain't Too Proud' very proud of show

By JOHN CARUCCI to a marker and go, what after a show to tell Sykes
Associated Press was happening in that that he would play "My
NEW YORK (AP) — For Jere- year? You'll go, 'Oh, civil Girl" when his daughter was
my Pope, the idea of play- rights. Oh, segregation.'" born.
ing one of The Temptations "Ain't Too Proud," which "This man cried in front of
was a daunting proposition. goes into Sunday's Tony me, thinking about how
Thankfully, he got some ad- Awards with 12 nomina- much that song meant to
vice and help from an origi- tions, charts the rise, sacri- him and that we brought it
nal Temptation. fices and challenges fac- back for him in a real way,"
During rehearsals for the ing the 1960s group that Sykes said.
jukebox musical "Ain't Too sang "Baby Love" and "My Ruffin's grandson thanked
Proud — The Life and Times Girl." Audiences have not- the actors for teaching au-
of the Temptations," Otis ed its echoes with Black diences "not just the Temp-
Williams, the last original Lives Matter and racial ten- tations' story but the story of
member, arrived to give his sions today. our country."
support. Pope, who plays group Working on the show, Der-
"He just gave me the big- This image released by DKC O&M Co. shows from left to right, member Eddie Kendricks, rick Baskin, who plays Wil-
Ephraim Sykes, Jawan M. Jackson, Jeremy Pope, Derrick Baskin
gest hug and he said, 'You and James Harkness in a scene from “Ain’t Too Proud — The Life marvels at the fact that The liams, learned the many
got it. You got it.' And he and Times of the Temptations.” Temptations were becom- stories behind the beautiful
invited us to his hotel room, Associated Press ing icons "in a time where notes.
and we sat there for I think they were unsure of their "Knowing their stories more
five hours and we just, he and speaking to civil rights to the music is you can own safety." it helps us to actually ap-
just told stories and talked," activist U.S. Rep. John Lew- hear the struggle and the For actor Ephraim Sykes, preciate what they put into
Pope said. is, Pope made an impor- pain behind their voices who plays David Ruffin, the music spiritually and
While doing his research, tant connection. and why they're singing the reaction has also been emotionally that I think au-
which included listening to "I think one thing that I pay the songs the way they are deeply personal. One au- diences actually gravitate
the band's entire catalog attention to now listening singing. And if you go back dience member came up toward," Baskin said.q