Columbus Short reveals that a weird interaction with Denzel Washington led to his son being named after the 68-year-old actor.
According to reports, their interaction took place when Short was under consideration for a role in the 2007 film “The Great Debaters,” featuring Washington. Short shared this experience while being a guest on the Moguls in the Making podcast. He described his audition for the character of Henry Lowe, during which he had to perform several scenes alongside Washington, all while studio executives observed. Short vividly recalled his surprise at how the 68-year-old actor decisively eliminated candidates who didn’t meet the standards for the role.
Short’s encounter with Washington had a profound impact on him, to the extent that it played a role in naming his son.
“My son’s name is Denzel,” he explained on the podcast. “Denzel, he kept little n*ggaing me, like, he kept making me feel like a little n*gga.”
He continued, “He kept doing that to me, so finally I was like, boom, and I’m just truncating the story, but when my son was about to be born, I was like, my wife was like, ‘What are we naming our son?’ I was like Denzel. ‘Cause why? ‘Cause now he’s my little n*gga.”
Additionally, Short also discussed the inspiration behind his son’s name in the his autobiography, “Short Stories,” published in 2020.
“The truth is, he remains to be my favorite actor, period,” he wrote. “He is brilliant in all his choices on screen, and after years of seeking his validation of my existence in the business, I am finally at peace with it all and still would jump at the chance to share the screen with him. My son carries my hero’s name; he’s destined for greatness.”
