Denzel Washington has come to people’s aid in films like “The Equalizer,” and recently his willingness to help those in need spilled over to real life.
On Thursday, May 21, Washington was seen helping a homeless man in West Hollywood, California, who apparently was in the street, facing oncoming traffic. He saw the man from his car, according to TMZ, got out and walked him to a sidewalk.
Footage shows the actor wearing a protective face mask and comforting the man, who didn’t have a mask on himself. Police eventually arrived, and Washington can be seen speaking with them while the man stood close by.
For unknown reasons, the homeless man was placed in handcuffs before he was released. Washington was seen with food and a bottle of juice in his hand that he tried to place in the man’s pocket as he was being cuffed.
It wasn’t the first time the “Mo’ Better Blues” star helped someone in need.
In 2016 Omari Hardwick spoke with “The Real” co-hosts and said Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta Washington helped him out when he was struggling.
Hardwick worked as a substitute teacher and coach at the Los Angeles-area high school the Washingtons’ eldest son John David Washington attended. The “Power” star became John’s mentor and coached him on Saturdays at UCLA.
John ended up playing professional football in Europe and the United Football League before becoming an actor himself.
Hardwick said that mentoring him led to a close relationship with the Washingtons, who gave him a place to stay and money.
“They gave me shelter when I didn’t have a place to stay or whatever, but they sort of just allowed me to be close enough to the family,” Hardwick explained.
“Still was doing acting class like six hours a week or whatever, and then kind of found myself showering at the YMCA. … Pops and moms rounded up about $2,500. Pauletta Washington … she paid for my car to not be taken back. But they paid for it. She called and said I got to get Denzel’s approval first, but he was like all good. So when I paid him that check back it was big. They framed that check.”
