Denzel Returns To NYC Roots In "Pelham"

The new film "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" opened this weekend and Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith recently had the chance to sit down with one of the movie's stars, two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington, about filming in his hometown of New York City.

In the movie, New York City plays such an important role that it's comparable to a character.

"Absolutely," said Washington, a Mt. Vernon, N.Y. native.

For Washington, making a movie in his hometown was "a dream," he says.

"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" was shot late at night in the actual subways after the evening rush hour and before the morning rush hour.

"I've been the guy on the train at 3:00 in the morning when they slow down between stations and you see those guys out there working. 'What are they doing out there?' We were those guys," he said.

Washington has a genuine craft when it comes to creating a character in his mind and bringing it to life on the big screen.

"The character tells me as much as I determine. That was an instinct I had," he explained. "Probably just because I played a lot of cops. But it was just an instinct to not - 'what if he's not good with a gun? What if he doesn't know what to do?' He just happens to be the guy on the phone the day that Travolta's character calls.

"And the writer ran with that. It's an interesting twist that Travolta's character, Ryder, befriends the guy (Washington's character, Walter Garber). He said 'I want to talk to that guy. I like that guy.'"

Washington and Travolta can't actually see each other in the movie.

"If we sat here now and did this interview with our eyes closed, it would be just as interesting," Washington said. "Because the other four senses take over. We still developed a relationship. We were there off camera for the other guy."

"How is John?" Smith saked.

"I haven't talked to him for a good two or three weeks or so. We talk for a long time, a couple hours. We laugh one minute and cry the next. He's just -he's tougher," Washington said.

With a long list of films, the shortest list for the actor is comedies. According to Smith, Washington is "funny."

"You know, I shouldn't talk about it, but I'll just say that Will Smith and I are working on a project," Washington admitted. "We're working on a script now. Hopefully we'll make it next year.

"But we were working on it a little bit in London last summer. We were fooling around, improvising. He said, 'Don't worry, Denzel. You don't have to be the funny guy. You can be the straight guy.' I look forward to the opportunity."

Smith showed Washington a picture of himself as a child, which is featured on the Boys & Girls Club of America's advocacy ad campaign, "Be Great America".

Washington says he remembers that day.

"I think I was in the third or fourth grade maybe. Maybe fifth grade. But I was dead serious. I looked like I knew I was going places, didn't I?" he joked.

As the son of a preacher, Washington recalls a special moment that changed his life, which occured in his mother's beauty parlor.

"This woman was known to have the gift of prophecy. She said, 'Somebody bring me a piece of paper.' She said, 'young man, you're going to preach to millions of people.' By the way, I'd been kicked out of school at this point. I was trying to figure out what to do with my life.

"She said, 'I have this prophecy.' Do you see anything in there about me getting back in school?" Washington joked. "I kept the piece of paper and started acting that fall."

With a great sense of humor, Washington also respects both the audience and himself.

"I don't take myself too seriously," he said. "Listen, they spend a lot of money making these movies. People don't have a lot of money to go to them. So, I try to do the best job I can. I don't take it lightly. I mean, I try to work hard."

"The Taking of Pelham 1,2 3" can be seen in theatres nationwide.