Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington isn’t bothered about not adding another Academy Award nomination under his belt for his performance in Gladiator II.

In a lengthy interview with The New York Times, published on Saturday, Washington was asked if he cared about not receiving an Oscar nom for Ridley Scott’s long-awaited sequel to Gladiator. The actor replied: “I was sitting there smiling, going: Look at you. On the day you didn’t get a nomination for an Oscar, you’re working on Othello on Broadway. Are you kidding me?” before playfully adding, “Awww. Oh, I’m so upset.”

He continued: “Listen, I’ve been around too long. I’m getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that’s exciting.”

Washington previously won the trophy for Glory in 1988 and Training Day in 2002 and earned a total of 10 nominations. However, despite his performance being received well, the film earned only one nomination from the Academy, which was in costume design.

Last year, the actor caused speculation around his retirement when he said, “There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in.” However, Washington’s next project will take place on stage as he’s set to star in Broadway’s Othello alongside Jake Gyllenhaal.

Washington also spoke about working with his upcoming costar: “He’s nuts. I love him. He’s complicated. But he’s already got a handle on it. I’m not worried about that, because I don’t like to learn the lines too soon. I was telling a young actor who asked, ‘Why don’t you like to learn them too soon?’ I said: ‘Because then I’m the voice I’m listening to delivering the cues to myself. I want to hear it from you, and that’s going to affect how I say what I say.’ For me, that works.”

Othello opens on March 23 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.

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