2-Time Oscar Winner Turned Down Role in One of the Greatest Thrillers Ever!

Denzel Washington’s career is among the most remarkable in Hollywood’s history. However, like many actors, he has made decisions he later regretted, including turning down a major role in a cult thriller, a choice he still laments.

Known for his chameleon-like ability to embody any character, Washington has had the luxury of selecting roles that interest him – and rejecting them, as was the case with the role of David Mills in David Fincher’s 1995 hit movie, Seven.

In 2013, Washington revealed he had declined the role in Seven, a decision he truly regrets. “Seven was offered to me years ago. I said no. Brad Pitt ended up taking the role. Go figure! That was a mistake on my part,” he confessed, with a hint of bitterness, in an interview with Playboy Magazine (via Genius).

He revisited the topic the following year, this time detailing his reasons for the refusal: “When I read the script for Seven, it seemed too much for me,” he stated during the Toronto Film Festival. “Then I saw the movie and thought ‘My God’. But clearly, the role wasn’t for me; it was meant for Brad.”

In 2018, in a video interview with Jamie Foxx for Grey Goose Vodka, Foxx asked him if there was anything he wished he hadn’t turned down, and again he mentioned Seven. “I thought the script was too demonic, then I saw the film and thought: ‘Oh, I messed up’. But, you know, it worked out.”

There’s no doubt that Denzel Washington would have been excellent in the film, and it’s clear he still regrets not taking advantage of the opportunity. However, he wasn’t entirely wrong: the role was perfect for Brad Pitt. With over $327 million in worldwide box office earnings, the film nearly multiplied its budget by ten and became a massive success. Nevertheless, Washington was busy in 1995 as well, appearing in three films himself.

Seven remains a thriller genre classic today. The film, which launched David Fincher’s career, features two detectives: a rookie, David Mills (Brad Pitt), and a veteran, William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), who are on the hunt for a serial killer whose murders reflect the seven deadly sins.

Seven is available on VOD.