Washington: All A Misunderstanding
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Isaiah Washington says he's "saddened" by the way things went down on the set of "Grey's Anatomy," which culminated with him being fired last week from the ABC show. He says that what transpired on the set of the hit show was "a horrible misunderstanding."
"I'm saddened by the outcome. I did everything that the producers and the network asked me to do," he says in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly. "I came back under great duress and stress, and thought I was doing the job I was hired to do. I thought that was going to speak for my future at Grey's, but apparently that wasn't the same vision that the network and studio had for me."
Washington says that the show's creator Shonda Rhimes called him June 7 and told him that he would not be returning to the show.
Trouble for Washington began when he opened old wounds backstage at the Golden Globes last year when he answered reporter's questions about the October on-set argument where he allegedly referred to co-star T.R. Knight by using an anti-gay slur. Washington issued an apology via his publicist as rumors swirled that he would be dropped from the show.
Washington says that the incident was "blown out of proportion."
"I just hope people can understand in the industry and otherwise that it's a horrible misunderstanding what transpired with our show and it was blown out of proportion," he says. "If the naysayers out there feel that some justice has been served and that they're happy with the outcome, so be it. It's incumbent on me to take what I do, do it well, grow from the experience, and move on."
Washington hasn't heard from his castmates since he was let go.
"Everyone is still on vacation. I don't expect to hear from my castmates," he said. "I did talk to Chandra Wilson and I got a text message from Kate Walsh. Everyone's doing their own thing. People are still trying to enjoy their summer before they get back to the grind. I think a lot of people are out of the country. I'm still getting calls from people discovering that this change has occurred."
When he was asked by EW if he was on good terms with Knight, Washington replied, "I don't know. You have to ask T.R. that."
In the season finale of the show, Washington's character walks out on Sandra Oh's character on their wedding day. After it aired, viewers buzzed about whether Washington's character, Preston Burke, would return for season four.
While it's not clear how the controversy will affect his career, Washington says he can only take things one day at a time.
"I can only apologize so many times. I can only accept so much responsibility. All the players involved have taken care of what we needed to take care of in-house — and the media took it in a different direction," he says. "I hope that everyone is happy for the outcome for Isaiah, but Isaiah will go on and do what I love to do. And I have to go about the business of letting people know what's written about me is not the truth. I'm merely an actor, a husband, and a father who's trying to do a great job and be very grateful and understanding that I'm in a very privileged position."
The actor added that he doesn't know if he'll work for the network again and as far as rumors that he may file a lawsuit are concerned, "I don't know anything about that." He's currently working on the indie film "The Least of These."
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. "I'm saddened by the outcome. I did everything that the producers and the network asked me to do," he says in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly. "I came back under great duress and stress, and thought I was doing the job I was hired to do. I thought that was going to speak for my future at Grey's, but apparently that wasn't the same vision that the network and studio had for me."
Washington says that the show's creator Shonda Rhimes called him June 7 and told him that he would not be returning to the show.
Trouble for Washington began when he opened old wounds backstage at the Golden Globes last year when he answered reporter's questions about the October on-set argument where he allegedly referred to co-star T.R. Knight by using an anti-gay slur. Washington issued an apology via his publicist as rumors swirled that he would be dropped from the show.
Washington says that the incident was "blown out of proportion."
"I just hope people can understand in the industry and otherwise that it's a horrible misunderstanding what transpired with our show and it was blown out of proportion," he says. "If the naysayers out there feel that some justice has been served and that they're happy with the outcome, so be it. It's incumbent on me to take what I do, do it well, grow from the experience, and move on."
Washington hasn't heard from his castmates since he was let go.
"Everyone is still on vacation. I don't expect to hear from my castmates," he said. "I did talk to Chandra Wilson and I got a text message from Kate Walsh. Everyone's doing their own thing. People are still trying to enjoy their summer before they get back to the grind. I think a lot of people are out of the country. I'm still getting calls from people discovering that this change has occurred."
When he was asked by EW if he was on good terms with Knight, Washington replied, "I don't know. You have to ask T.R. that."
In the season finale of the show, Washington's character walks out on Sandra Oh's character on their wedding day. After it aired, viewers buzzed about whether Washington's character, Preston Burke, would return for season four.
While it's not clear how the controversy will affect his career, Washington says he can only take things one day at a time.
"I can only apologize so many times. I can only accept so much responsibility. All the players involved have taken care of what we needed to take care of in-house — and the media took it in a different direction," he says. "I hope that everyone is happy for the outcome for Isaiah, but Isaiah will go on and do what I love to do. And I have to go about the business of letting people know what's written about me is not the truth. I'm merely an actor, a husband, and a father who's trying to do a great job and be very grateful and understanding that I'm in a very privileged position."
The actor added that he doesn't know if he'll work for the network again and as far as rumors that he may file a lawsuit are concerned, "I don't know anything about that." He's currently working on the indie film "The Least of These."
Heck I've even seen one homosexual guy yell at another to stop being so G a y. If the producers of the show did tell Mr. Washington to go to sensitivity classes etc etc then he can sue for wrongfully termination.
People have issues with other people who are not like them, and, you know what? It's the 21st Century. Get over it! In this country, we have been exposed to people of different colors, races, religions, sexual preferences, etc.; we see it in the media, in the streets, everywhere. We should all be sued to each other by now. Why is there so much dislike for people of different backgrounds? Are they such a threat to our lives that we have to lose our jobs over it? Geeze.
There's a lot of this kind of cr@p that happens to public figures in the name of PC, but it's odd that it happened to a public figure who's black. This is just another example of what our country is turning into: a bunch of namby-pamby, whiney babies.
On the other hand if it had been reversed, and the white, gay guy called Mr. Washington by some kind of derrogatory, racial slur (or even alluded to one) he wouldn't even have been given the chance to finish out the season. He would have been escorted off the lot and probably wouldn't have found work again as an actor. I think we all know that's true.
It's a sad state when guys can't even get in a fight and just go on anymore. Guess they should have just duked it out.
I do not watch the show. I tried but it just didn't do anything for me.
I thought what he said was inappropriate, but I really liked his character, and his relationship with Christine. I really am sick of George and his wife and cheating with his friend.. That has been more then played out... And now I hear about Grey's sister coming on the show and interfereing with Grey and 'McDreamy's' relationship?? That story line is soooo tired!!
I think I have had enough of this show! I was once so hooked!