The GQ&A: Denzel Washington GQ: Tell me about your first job. Denzel Washington: I was a paperboy. I was maybe 9. I faded on that quick. There’s no money in it. I was 11 or so when I started in the barbershop. That was great theater. Professional liars in a barbershop. There were a lot of father figures in there. I was there with grown men. You know, saying grown-men things. Listening to men talk and lie. I learned to hustle. If you came in, I looked at you like money. Okay, you’ve got good shoes? You might have a few dollars. I had a little side hustle where you brought your clothes on Saturday; I’d take them to the cleaners and deliver them at the end of the day. Fifty cents here, a dollar there. I was 13 and buying my own clothes. Working in that barbershop, learning how to tell stories…I learned how to act. [laughs] I miss it. I really dug that independence. My oldest daughter—I see her digging her independence. She doesn’t like me talking about it, but she’s working with Tarantino.
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The GQ&A: Denzel Washington

GQ: Tell me about your first job.

Denzel Washington: I was a paperboy. I was maybe 9. I faded on that quick. There’s no money in it. I was 11 or so when I started in the barbershop. That was great theater. Professional liars in a barbershop. There were a lot of father figures in there. I was there with grown men. You know, saying grown-men things. Listening to men talk and lie. I learned to hustle. If you came in, I looked at you like money. Okay, you’ve got good shoes? You might have a few dollars. I had a little side hustle where you brought your clothes on Saturday; I’d take them to the cleaners and deliver them at the end of the day. Fifty cents here, a dollar there. I was 13 and buying my own clothes. Working in that barbershop, learning how to tell stories…I learned how to act. [laughs] I miss it. I really dug that independence. My oldest daughter—I see her digging her independence. She doesn’t like me talking about it, but she’s working with Tarantino.

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