Denzel Washington says he hired a trainer after ‘looking fat’ in photos

Denzel Washington has revealed he hired a trainer after being displeased with the way he looked in photos.

In a new interview, the 69-year-old spoke about his workout routine and diet, which he started prioritizing two years ago.

“I was looking at pictures of myself and Pauletta at the Academy Awards for Macbeth, and I’m just looking fat, with this dyed hair,” he told Esquire.

“And I said, Those days are over, man. I feel like I’m getting strong. Strong is important,” Washington added.

The Equalizer star discussed how he’s previously “done a lot of damage to the body” and has now “been clean.” In fact, he hasn’t had alcohol in 10 years.

“I stopped at sixty and I haven’t had a thimble’s worth since,” he explained. “Things are opening up for me now — like being 70. It’s real. And it’s okay.”

Washington continued to describe the next steps he plans to take in his life and the “strength” he wants to maintain. He also shared that it was Lenny Kravitz who introduced him to a trainer.

“He’s another man of God. I started with him February of last year,” Washington added about the trainer. “He makes the meals for me and we’re training, and I’m now 190-something pounds on my way to 185.”

Last week, Washington set the record straight regarding rumors of his retirement.

Speaking to BuzzFeed, Washington insisted: “I didn’t say I was going to go into retirement. I said that it has to be a level of interest for me.”

He added: “I’m more interested in getting behind the camera, so that’s about five years out. It’s very difficult. I may have used the word ‘retire’... but I look at life in three sections – you learn, you earn and you return. I’m in the return part of life.”

In her four star review of Gladiator 2 for The Independent, Clarisse Loughrey picked out Washington’s performance in particular.

“Washington takes pure, delicious revelry in the spoken word. David Scarpa’s script has its weak spots, but the actor treats it like Shakespeare, somehow discovering iambic pentameter where it doesn’t exist.

“He speaks in symphonies, drinks in power like wine, and, recognising the exquisite beauty of Janty Yates and David Crossman’s costumes, does some tremendous sleeve acting.”