Washington
Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal on their record-breaking
With stars like Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, maybe it’s no wonder “Othello” just became the highest-grossing Broadway play ever, pulling in $2.8 million in a single week.
Washington said, “It’s the most excited I’ve been this century. Seriously. I haven’t been this excited about anything I’ve done as I am about this.”
That’s saying something coming from Washington. Known for roles in films like “Glory” and “Training Day” (both of which won him Oscars), he’s been called the greatest actor of the 21st century. But be careful before you call him a “Hollywood actor.”
“What’s the definition of a Hollywood actor?” he said. “Myself, I’m from Mt. Vernon, so I’m a ‘Mt. Vernon actor.’ I don’t know what ‘Hollywood’ means.”
“Somebody who’s famous on film? A film actor, great success on film?”
“I’m a stage actor who does film; it’s not the other way around,” Washington said. “I did stage first. I learned how to act on stage, not on film. Movies are a filmmaker’s medium. You shoot it, and then you’re gone and they cut together and add music and do all of that. Theater is an actor’s medium. The curtain goes up, nobody can help you.”
CBS News
“Othello” is the Tony-winner’s sixth Broadway show. He plays the title character, Othello, the military commander stirred into a murderous rage after his ensign, Iago, convinces him his wife, Desdemona, has been unfaithful.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays the deceitful Iago, who seeks revenge on his longtime comrade and commander because he was passed over for a promotion.
Shakespeare wrote “Othello” around 1604. But this production sets the play in “the near future,” adding modern themes like soldiers suffering from PTSD.
Washington said, “People, you know, they ordinarily think, ‘Oh yeah, it’s about jealousy. And he betrays him.’ No, it’s about two soldiers who trust each other with their lives.”
“Well, then…” Gyllenhaal laughed.
“Yeah, what are you so pissed off about? What did I do to you?” Washington laughed.
“What you know, you know!” Gyllenhaal replied. “But I mean, that what is shared is theirs, you know? And what is shared beyond something that they would share with others. That’s what makes their bond so strong.”
At 44 years old, Gyllenhaal is widely celebrated for the emotional range and intensity he brings to roles, in films such as “Brokeback Mountain,” “Zodiac” and “Nightcrawler.” And like Washington, he is a theater veteran, with “Othello” marking his fourth appearance on Broadway. But this is his first time performing Shakespeare (almost). “You know what I realized? I did do ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ in high school,” he said. “And I realized that this morning.”
“You forgot?” an astonished Washington laughed.
“Probably the audience and I would probably like to forget!”
We visited Gyllenhaal before a performance this past week at the Barrymore Theatre. Standing on stage, the actor said, “It’s my favorite place to be.”
He explained his character feeds off the audience: “[Iago] does have a lot of moments [where] he has interactions with the audience, they kind of become his partner in it, and every night it is different. And that’s what I love so much about it.”
Washington, now 70, is no stranger to Shakespeare. On stage he’s played Richard III and Julius Caesar, and he has starred in movie versions of “Much Ado About Nothing” and an adaptation of “Macbeth.” He first played Othello as a student at Fordham University in New York City.
Asked how he relates to the play and its language differently from when he was 22, Washington replied, “I know a lot less now. I thought I knew everything then! I didn’t really like the part, ’cause I wasn’t wise enough to understand it. Now I understand it’s really about a bond, you know, that these characters have. He loves not wisely, but too well.”
“Othello” has been staged on Broadway more than 20 times. For most of those performances, Othello was played by a white actor in blackface. That changed in 1943, when Paul Robeson gave a legendary performance in the role. The last actor to play him on Broadway was James Earl Jones, in 1982.
“James Earl Jones was my northern star when I was in college,” said Washington. “He was who I wanted to be. I didn’t get to see his Othello, but I know it wasn’t as good as my 22-year-old interpretation! But you know, it’s my turn.”
And what a turn it’s been. The show is already a box office hit. But record-breaking sales have driven prices sky-high; prime seats go for nearly $1,000, drawing some criticism.
But audiences are showing up, and by the sound of it are enjoying themselves – as are the stars.
Gyllenhaal said, “You get to a point where you’re like, ‘Oh, I’ve worked my whole career for this, for this moment.’”
“That’s what it feels like for me, too,” said Washington. “I worked my whole career for this moment. This is a 48-year journey for me. It’s fascinating to have been too young for the part, and some may say now too old. But 48 years of experience, so 48 years of pain and pleasure and life has informed my approach to playing the role.”
Gyllenhaal added, “I feel tremendous gratitude. And he makes me feel it when I walk in that rehearsal room every day.”
WEB EXCLUSIVE: Watch an extended interview with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal (Video)
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Story produced by Wonbo Woo and Sara Kugel. Editor: Remington Korper.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Three weeks ago, Kandace Washington buried her eldest son LSU standout receiver Kyren Lacy who died by suicide. Sadly, this isn’t the first time Washington has experienced this type of tragedy.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We sat down with Washington, who is a school counselor, to discuss how she’s using her story of strength and resilience to inspire others who may be struggling. She also explains how her voice has guided her through the darkest of times…including now.
Singing has been a saving grace for Washington. It’s how she coped with the loss of her father as a child and now her son Kyren, both dying by suicide.
“You never think that you’re going to bury your child, so in my mind I don’t think anything can get any worse and then this happened and I’m like…I don’t understand,” Washington said.
She adds, “Growing up when I was four or five unfortunately my father committed suicide and then when I was 13 my mom passed away from ALS.”
The void left her sister to run a household of four.
“My oldest sister was in college when my mom passed away. She actually had a scholarship to sing in the choir at Southern University and she left Southern to come and raise us after all that happened. So that was pretty tough growing up without parents,” Washington explained.
Washington became a parent herself at 17…giving birth to Kyren while still in high school. Now she’s a high school counselor in Texas.
“This new normal is just a part of my calling,” Washington said.
She plans to use her story to help her students find their way.
“We see it. A lot of students struggling with mental health. Different things that they’re going through at home. How to balance. How to juggle everything,” said Washington.
She is a counselor now offering unique insight on the subject of suicide.
“Just give them some hope, some light at the end of the tunnel. And I can share it, you know, from both perspectives you know. Because at one point it took me almost 40 years to even understand what my dad was going through because I was looking at it as, you know, you left. You didn’t think about me. You didn’t care about me. It took me over 40 years to just really have empathy and to understand that you know the weight of the world sometimes is a lot. And so now that I’m experiencing it with Karen again… I just have so much empathy. And then I’ve seen some of the things that he’s had to go thought and endure and I have a lot of empathy for my dad and Kyren.”
And she has advice for other parents.
“I would just encourage parents to talk to their kids, and to listen. To listen and to understand,” Washington said.
She also recommends talking to your children about the dangers of social media and bullying online.
“If you’re on social media and you’re commenting negative things and when you close your phone and you close your laptop and you feel good about yourself… something is wrong,” Washington said.
Washington believes her son Kyren became a target after he was arrested in January after of being accused of driving recklessly and causing a deadly accident. She says the crash and all that followed pushed things over the edge.
“People go through things. They make mistakes. They make wrong decisions. Everybody has. They only difference with my son is everybody knew who he was,” Washington says.
Washington explained she still can’t fully comprehend what her son was feeling before his death but hopes time will bring clarity and healing.
“I believe that with time, everything will reveal itself, but right now it’s a lot of unanswered questions,” she said.
What Washington knows for certain is that her family, her faith, and her music will see her through as she returns to her job as a counselor in the fall. She hopes to preserve her son’s legacy by continuing his work to uplift the community.
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The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is headed to the Nation’s Capital in June with a handful of matches.
Set to be held at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., the opening match for the venue is June 18 when Al Ain FC takes on Juventus FC.
The other teams set to play in Washington D.C. includes FC Salzburg, Al Hilal and Wydad AC. The site will host three group stage matches in total.
Soccer fans looking to witness a part of the action have plenty of options available as tickets are now available.
Here’s how to buy 2025 FIFA Club World Cup tickets in Washington D.C.
Shop 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Washington D.C. tickets
Washington 2025 FIFA Club World Cup tickets
- GROUP STAGE: June 18 – Al Ain FC vs. Juventus FC – Shop tickets
- GROUP STAGE: June 22 – FC Salzburg vs. Al Hilal – Shop tickets
- GROUP STAGE: June 26 – Wydad AC vs. Al Ain FC – Shop tickets
Shop 2025 FIFA Club World Cup tickets
Bernal will represent Mexico in upcoming friendlies against Uruguay
Washington, D.C. (05/17/2025) – Washington Spirit defender Rebeca Bernal has been called up to the Mexico Women’s National Team for the federation’s May/June friendlies, the Mexican Football Federation announced this week. The side will take on Uruguay in Puebla and Tlaxcala beginning later this month.
Bernal has appeared in over 60 matches, scoring eight goals for Mexico since making her senior team debut in 2017. The defender helped Mexico capture the gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile and was named to the tournament Best XI for her performance at the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup. At the club level, Bernal helped C.F. Monterrey become the second-most decorated club in Liga MX Femenil with four trophies before winning the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup in her first match with the Washington Spirit.
Mexico’s May/June Friendly Schedule:
- vs Uruguay | Friday, May 30 at 8 p.m. EDT (Estadio Olímpico BUAP, Puebla, Mexico)
- vs Uruguay| Tuesday, June 3 at 8 p.m. EDT (Estadio Tlahuicole, Tlaxcala City, Mexico)
The Spirit will take the pitch at home again this Saturday, May 17 when the side faces off with Utah Royals FC in the club’s annual Salute to Service match. Single match tickets are available here. Fans can secure their spot to see the Spirit in all the team’s matches at Audi Field by becoming 2025 Season Ticket Members here.
About The Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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