by Paul Fischer

When it comes to talking Oscars, Denzel Washington - a winner for Supporting Actor in Glory -- waxes philosophical. "You know I've been around the block a few times, so we'll see what happens. I'm more relaxed about it than in the past. I guess I get a little nervous right before they say whoever's name they are gonna say, but it's really out of my hands, so there's no point in worrying about it too much you know." Besides, the 46-year old star adds, "you know that I already have an Oscar. They're the same size, the same weight. I'm just gonna continue to work hard and try to do good work and they're gonna have to see me year after year after year. I mean I may be 80 years old before they finally oh just give me another one." And while he's thrilled that this is a strong year for African Americans, Oscar-wise, Washington also believes "that's pathetic, with what, three nominations?"

Dressed casually in jeans and baseball cap, Washington has more on his mind than March's Academy Awards. He has just finished directing [and co-starring] in his first feature, based on the true story of sailor Antwone Fisher, who went on to become a screenwriter in Hollywood. Washington also plays a supporting role as a psychiatrist. Washington admits to being in a state of complete fear - but in a good way. "For me, fear is healthy. . You know I've done 25, 30 films and I've been blessed to do a lot of good stuff, get nominations and all kinds of stuff and awards, but you can get bored with something." Washington admits that acting "wasn't fresh and was getting stale for me, while with directing, I'm alive again and I didn't sleep for two months." Washington didn't find his first directing chore difficult, more "exhilarating and frightening. Every day was great when it was over because I was like: Okay I can do that and actually do that, but then the next day would be like: Well what do I do now? It's all new."

He admits that in hindsight, his experience directing was not quite as bad as he had imagined,"but you have all these people that are relying on you and looking to you for answers and you don't necessarily know what the answers are. But I was smart enough to put the best people around me and let them do their job. I had a great crew and you know a couple of days in, I was just flying. If I'm allowed to, will be directing the rest of my life," the actor frankly admits, even though "us directors don't get paid well."

In addition to directing, Washington is equally passionate about his latest starring role on camera, John Q, the story of an ordinary working-class guy who takes a hospital hostage when his health insurance fails to cover a life-and-death operation for his son. This father of four found himself identifying with the character. "I was in a car accident with my oldest son when he was a little guy," Washington recalls. "The adrenaline kicked in, because he got his legs jammed in between the door and the seat. I snatched the door open and got him out of there, and he's screaming, and I'm like, 'Oh, my God, it's going to be all right,' and he's like, 'No, Dad, put me down, I'm all right, put me down.' I was flipping out. He was fine." As a working member of the Screen Actors Guild, Washington has little to worry about in terms of health care coverage but admits, in terms of John Q, he didn't allow himself to get into the issue of the issue. "because I was playing a guy who thought he had health coverage so I wasn't as concerned with the issue no more than John Q is concerned with the issue.