Skip to content
Urban Hollywood 411
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • CELEBRITY
  • TV
  • FILM
  • MEDIA
  • SPORTS
  • POLITICS
  • MUSIC
  • INTERVIEWS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
Main Menu

Katie Couric Says She Was Left ‘Shaken’ by 2004 Denzel Washington Interview

April 29, 2020April 11, 2022 Marian Anderson
Share on facebookTweet on twitter
Katie Couric and Denzel Washington (Credit: depositphotos.com)

Katie Couric recalled a 2004 Dateline interview with Denzel Washington that did not sit well with her.

The NBC News and Today Show alum appeared this week on the Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino podcast, where she was asked about uncomfortable experiences interviewing politicians and celebrities over the years.

The veteran journalist mentioned Washington. She said he was promoting his remake of The Manchurian Candidate, along with co-star Meryl Streep and director Jonathan Demme, at the time. Couric said things got tense when the subject of politics came up.

Related Story: Keyshia Cole Loses It When Nick Cannon Says She’s Her Boyfriend’s ‘Elder’

She recalled asking, “Denzel, are you, do you feel, you know some people say Hollywood folks should stick to acting?”

In his response, according to Couric, Washington replied, “I don’t know what Hollywood folks are first of all.” He added, “Hollywood is a town that has some stars on the sidewalk. I don’t know anybody there.”

Washington went on to explain to Couric that “I’m not Hollywood folk. I don’t know who they are.”

While she tried to reframe her question, including asking: “Are you an actor who would rather not…,” she said, Washington quickly cut her off, and the interview became more intense.

“No, I’m not that either,” he said. “I’m a human being. My job is acting.”

She also asked the movie star if he preferred to keep his political views private, adding: “Don’t make my questions loaded when they’re not.”

“Would I rather keep it private? No, I’m not one of those people,” he said. “I think I speak what’s on my mind.”

Couric says the experience was “uncomfortable.” She also claimed Washington “totally misconstrued a question I asked and kind of jumped all over me.”

The Emmy-winning journalist told Pellegrino, “I don’t think I said anything wrong… and I don’t know what happened.”

Couric chalked it up to Washington having a bad day. “I love him, I admire him so much,” she said. “He’s one of my favorite actors but I remember walking out and feeling really kind of shaken that he had kind of gone after me in a way that was completely, weirdly uncalled for.”

Couric said the Oscar-winning actor later wrote a generous check to the colon cancer foundation she founded. So far, Washington has not commented on the matter.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related


Discover more from Urban Hollywood 411

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Posted Under
CELEBRITY
Tagged
Dateline Denzel Washington Interview Katie Couric Shaken The Manchurian Candidate
Share on facebookTweet on twitter

About Marian Anderson

View all posts by Marian Anderson →

Post navigation

‘Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta’ Star Calls the Show’s Drama ‘Disgraceful’
OWN Sets New Virtual Series ‘Fear Not with Iyanla Vanzant’

You may like these posts

Sean "Diddy" Combs, right, turns around and looks at the audience during jury selection at Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams/AP)

Diddy Trial: Male Escort Testifies He Saw Mogul ‘Dragging’ Cassie by Her Hair

Ashanti and Nelly arrive at the 2024 Baby2Baby Gala Presented by Paul Mitchell held at the Pacific Design Center on November 9, 2024 in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States. — Photo by Image Press Agency

Nelly and Ashanti Get Reality Show on Their Rekindled Romance

AL B. Sure! attend the Soul Train Awards 2018 presented by BET, at the Orleans Arena on November 17th 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Al B. Sure! to Detail ‘Shocking Ties’ to Diddy in Tell-All Memoir

Miami Gardens, Florida/USA - March 17, 2017: Smokey Robinson on stage at Jazz in the Gardens. Jazz in the Gardens is a two day music festival in Miami Gardens FL. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Smokey Robinson Denies ‘Ugly’ Allegations in $50M Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Sean "Diddy" Combs, right, turns around and looks at the audience during jury selection at Manhattan federal court, Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams/AP)

Diddy Prosecutors Still Can’t Find ‘Victim 3’ as Jury Selection Nears Final Phase

Most Popular Posts

Sean "Diddy" Combs at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Garden Arena on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, NV — Photo by Jean_Nelson/Deposit Photos

Diddy Prosecutors Reveal ‘Victim No. 3’ Not Responding to Calls

Miami Gardens, Florida/USA - March 17, 2017: Smokey Robinson on stage at Jazz in the Gardens. Jazz in the Gardens is a two day music festival in Miami Gardens FL. (Credit: Shutterstock)

Smokey Robinson Denies ‘Ugly’ Allegations in $50M Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Original "106 & Park" hosts AJ Calloway and Free will reunite at BET Awards (Credit: YouTube/Hype+)

BET Awards Sets ‘106 & Park’ Reunion Celebrating Iconic Hosts

BET Awards Nominations 2025 include (L-R) Kendrick Lamar, GloRilla and Drake (Credit: Deposit Photos)

BET Awards 2025: Kendrick Lamar, GloRilla, Drake Lead the List of Nominations

Paula Patton and Loretta Devine in Finding Faith. (Credit: Summer House Pictures)

‘Finding Faith’ Trailer: Paula Patton Loses Everything But Hope

  • ABOUT
  • Contact
  • Advertise With Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright Policy
DMCA.com Protection Status
Copyright © 2025, AB Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. | Powered by WordPress
Urban Hollywood 411
Manage your privacy

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
Urban Hollywood 411
Manage your privacy
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
%d