‘Never put your hands on me again’: We know what Denzel Washington yelled at paparrazzi after being grabbed

A small argument happened on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest on Monday, May 20. It involved famous actor Denzel Washington and a photographer. The incident, which quickly got attention, happened when the photographer touched Washington, leading to a strong reaction from the actor.

Before the incident, Washington seemed to be in a good mood, talking and exchanging friendly words with director Spike Lee and co-star A USD AP Rocky. However, the mood changed when a photographer, trying to take a picture, grabbed Washington’s arm. This physical led to a heated exchange.

According to lip-reading expert Jeremy Freeman to Daily Mail, Washington’s first response was a warning: “Hey, one, one more time, stop.” This calm warning became more serious when the photographer ignored it. Freeman explained that Washington then spoke more firmly, saying, “Let me tell you, stop, stop, never put your hands on me again. I’m talking to you, stop, all right.”

Denzel Washington had a few choice words for touchy photorapher

The photographer responded in a dismissive way; he reportedly said, “Not allowed,” and smirked. This defiant reaction made Washington even angrier, and he repeated his warning, this time more forcefully: “Stop, stop it, stop it. I mean it. Stop, stop it.”

During this exchange, Washington’s frustration became more obvious; he pointed his finger at the photographer, who still showed no regret. The photographer, not bothered by Washington’s anger, kept trying to interact with him. This led to Washington pushing the photographer away.

The short but intense argument happened during the excitement of the Highest 2 Lowest premiere, a movie that marks Washington’s fifth time working with director Spike Lee. Their past collaborations include Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man, which were some of his best movies. The premiere itself was a big event, with the cast and crew receiving a standing ovation.

Even after the red carpet incident, Washington seemed to move past it quickly and stayed in good spirits during the screening, attending the event with Lee. He’s got dream roles to worry about, after all.