Washington Nixed Roberts Kiss

Newsweek vet Allison Samuels reveals in her new book Off the Record why Denzel Washington refused to kiss Julia Roberts in The Pelican Brief. (It nearly ruined the movie.)

Denzel Washington once turned down a love scene with Julia Roberts out of loyalty to his female African-American fans, Allison Samuels reveals in her new book, "Off the Record" (Amistad).

Washington nixed the steamy segment even though Roberts insisted that he be cast as her co-star in "The Pelican Brief," writes Samuels, a respected Newsweek reporter.

Washington explained: "Black women are not often seen as objects of desire on film. And they have always been my core audience."

The Oscar winner also said he turned down the starring role in "Love Field" with Michelle Pfeiffer because of the N-word. "It was n— this and n— that. I wasn't going to be but so many n—s in a film."

Meanwhile, Eddie Murphy made the mistake of not being choosy enough in doing the "Beverly Hills Cop" sequels, he confided to Samuels. "There was no reason to do the third and fourth ones. I could tell they were bad — I read the script," Murphy said. "But when you never had money, you always want more, and you're worried you're going to run out."

Murphy, now a contender for an Oscar nod for his role in "Dreamgirls," "is a sensitive guy about criticism," Samuels told us yesterday — so much so that he once threw a friend of Samuels out of his room when the pal said she didn't like Murphy's music.

Comments

[Sergio]

I'm sure there are people who will read Washington's comments and consider him narrow minded. But believe me, the man's no fool. Black women love (and I mean LUUUUUUUUUUUVVVVV) Denzel and if he should romance a white woman in a film it would be considered an act of high treason and his popularity would suffer greatly or be shot on sight. However his claim that black woman are not often seen as objects of desire (which is SO true), is ironic since, with the exception of the recent Deja Vu, he's rarely done a love scene with any women of any race. By the way, Halle Berry as a object of desire doesn't count for many black women since they consider her too light skinned and because she's bi-racial is not "black" enough.

But what about Hitch that romantic comaedy with Will Smith? His love interest was Eva Mendes. True, but since she's Hispanic and not a white woman, many black women gave it a pass. If the part had been played by someone like Cameron Diaz, who was the original choice for the part, Black women (and white guys as well) would have stayed away in droves.

(By the way, that reminds of a question I've always wanted to ask. When was the last time you've seen someone so white with the last name of Diaz????)

[Anne Thompson]

I understand how Denzel is being smart about his African American base. But what about the rest of us? Shouldn't he be free to express his widest possible range? I adore him at his sexiest in Mississippi Masala and Devil in a Blue Dress, but movies like that don't come along very often.

[Reena]

I believe Miss Diaz is of Latin descent. Also, I recall seeing Denzel in a Spike Lee film engaged in love/romantic scene with Milla Jovovich. I may be mistaken.