'Gladiator II' star Denzel Washington reflects on '90s missteps

Denzel Washington has recently shared some regrets from the 90s.

In an interview with The Times, the Gladiator II star admitted to "real clunkers" he made in the past.

"After Malcolm X I made some real clunkers. Look them up — I won't say their names. They are all in the 1990s," Washington said.

However, he added, "But I was earning. I had responsibilities."

"In life, you learn, earn and then you return — as in give back. So if your life is 90 years long, up until 30 you learn and from 30 to 60 you earn," the actor explained.

Some of Washington's less successful films from that period include Virtuosity (1995), The Siege (1998), and The Bone Collector (1999).

It is worth mentioning that despite his achievements the actor revealed he doesn't rewatch his old films.

Washington said, "I haven't watched any film from my past from start to finish, not even Malcolm X. All you see is what you did wrong. Also, why would you do it anyway?"

Additionally, he shared that he encourages his children, John David and Olivia Washington, to act on stage rather than focus on film or TV.

"You don't learn to act on TV. You don't learn to act in movies. You learn to act on stage. TV and films are a director's medium — where they are in control," Washington added.