TV host Katie Couric has admitted she was left "shaken" after an infamously "uncomfortable" interview with Denzel Washington.
On an episode of Danny Pellegrino's podcast, Couric recalled the awkward Dateline interview with Washington for his film The Manchurian Candidate.
"I love him. I admire him so much – he's one of my favourite actors – but I remember walking out feeling kind of shaken that he had gone after me in a way that was completely, weirdly uncalled for," said Couric.
"I just remember leaving it and thinking, 'God' … I don't think
I said anything wrong … I don't know what happened."
The infamous
Dateline interview involved Couric asking Washington, 65, if he agrees with
the notion that, "Hollywood folks should stick to acting."
"I
don't know what Hollywood folks are, first of all," he retorted. "Hollywood
is a town that has some stars on the sidewalk. I don't know anybody from
there. So, I don't — that's like saying - calling you a 'type' of folks. I'm
not a Hollywood folk. I don't know who they are."
"OK, all right, well, let me rephrase the question," she
responded. "Are you one of those people that —"
"Ah, there you
go," Washington interrupted. "Am I one of those people? Hmmm, isn't that
interesting?"
"Oh, stop, stop, stop," Couric replied, to which
Washington answered, "No, don't stop. I heard what you just said. 'Am I one
of those people?' No, I'm not."
Couric countered by telling the
star, "No, are you an actor who would rather not —"
"No, I'm not
that either," Washington added in response to being labelled an actor. "I'm
a human being. My job is acting."
