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Whether or not you like him, there is no denying that Spike Lee is not afraid to step on anyone’s toes, leading to a fiercely individualistic body of work that is irreplaceable within the cinematic canon. His films often confront subject matter relating to racial tensions in the United States, exploring these ideas in starkly different ways when comparing Do The Right Thing with BlacKKKlansman.
The former has a constant undercurrent of suspense while the latter tackles these issues through deadpan comedy and satire, highlighting the pathetic logic behind these racist groups. However, while many of these films challenge audiences through their critical gaze and sometimes violent narratives, there was one film from the director that became controversial for a different reason.
Denzel Washington is widely considered as one of the greatest actors of all time, with a grounded approach to his craft that has led to all-encompassing performances in films such as Equalizer, Training Day and Philadelphia. However, while Washington has always taken risks in his work, with recent roles in The Tragedy of Macbeth and Fences showing a knack for reinvention, there was one role that posed a very real threat for the actor, which unsurprisingly came after working with Spike Lee.
Malcolm X, directed in 1992, follows the life of Black activist Malcolm X and his rise to power, as well as his eventual assassination. It was a key role for Washington, playing the iconic historical figure and being tasked with the responsibility to convey this monumental slice of history. While the film was highly regarded among film lovers and led to an Oscar nomination for Washington, the production experienced many difficulties, with many white Americans expressing their dislike of Malcolm X and his activism, which led to troubles for Lee while shooting.
When describing the production, Washington said there was a time in which they were concerned for their safety, saying “Shit, we were worrying about getting killed. You’re talking about politics; we were trying to stay alive. Put it this way: we were stepping on some serious toes. And I’m not just talking about the studio”.
While Lee’s unwavering vision has defined the impact of the film, he wasn’t initially attached to the project, with the director expressing frustration at Norman Jewison originally being set to direct, with Lee eventually taking over this role. Lee was very vocal about his reasoning for this, saying, “I’m directing this movie, and I rewrote the script, and I’m an artist, and there’s just no two ways around it: this film about Malcolm X is going to be my vision of Malcolm X”.
Once Lee was attached to the film, many Black nationalists shared their concern over Malcolm X’s image being correctly portrayed, worried that Lee wouldn’t do justice to this after disliking some of his previous films, leading to protests in Harlem in which over 200 people attended.
Naturally, the production was then shrouded in mystery and attention, and this would be understandably intimidating for Washington when starring in a politically stirring film. Thankfully, the cast and crew came to no harm, despite the hostile climate in which they were making it.
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