Denzel Washington honors James Earl Jones, calling him his ‘Hero’ and inspiration

​Reflecting on the late actor’s influence, Washington said, “I wasn’t going to be as big as him. I wanted to sound like him. He was everything to me as a budding actor. He was who I wanted to be.” The Training Day star was deeply inspired by Jones’ iconic voice and commanding stage presence, which eventually led him to pursue his passion for acting and theater.