Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal Set Records and Redefine Shakespeare in ‘Othello’
Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal are lighting up the Barrymore Theatre in a new production of Othello that’s not just winning praise—it’s breaking records. The show recently became the highest-grossing Broadway play in history, pulling in $2.8 million in a single week. With prime seats reaching nearly $1,000, the box office numbers have drawn criticism, but the audience response has been resounding: people are showing up, and they’re loving it.
Denzel Washington Returns to His Roots
“This is a 48-year journey for me,” Denzel Washington said. “It’s the most excited I’ve been this century.” At 70, the two-time Oscar winner brings decades of stage and screen experience to the role of Othello, a military commander consumed by betrayal and manipulation. But don’t call him a Hollywood actor. “Myself, I’m from Mt. Vernon, so I’m a ‘Mt. Vernon actor.’ I don’t know what ‘Hollywood’ means.”
Washington has been on Broadway five times before, but Othello marks his sixth turn—and perhaps his most personal. He first played the character as a student at Fordham University but admits he wasn’t ready for it then. “I thought I knew everything. I didn’t really like the part, ’cause I wasn’t wise enough to understand it. Now I understand it’s really about a bond that these characters have. He loves not wisely, but too well.”
Behind the curtain, television personality and singer-songwriter Kandi Burruss is playing a key role as one of the producers. Known for her work on The Real Housewives of Atlanta and as a Grammy-winning songwriter, Burruss has been steadily carving out a name in theater. This isn’t her first Broadway venture—and she’s making it clear it won’t be her last.
Kandi Burruss Hopes for a Tony Win, Denzel Washington May Bring It
“I’m praying. But you know, I pray every time,” Burruss said about the show’s awards potential. “Every time you have to go into it feeling like, ‘This is the one,’ you know? I’m going to speak it into existence.” Speaking on Sherri, she added, “First of all, obviously, they are top tier as far as the talent goes.”
Burruss also shared her admiration for Washington, whom she’s met several times. “Because John David [Denzel’s son] was in our other show The Piano Lesson. That was a wonderful experience and Denzel would just be there supporting his son sometimes, very quiet, laid back.”
While she’s stepped away from Real Housewives of Atlanta, Burruss continues to expand her creative reach, trying her hand at acting, producing, and still chasing that elusive “T” in EGOT. Alongside her husband Todd Tucker, she has produced several Broadway shows, with Othello as the latest standout in their growing portfolio.
Gyllenhaal Finds His Shakespeare Voice
Jake Gyllenhaal plays Iago, Othello’s duplicitous ensign, driven by jealousy and resentment after being passed over for promotion. For Gyllenhaal, it’s his first time tackling Shakespeare professionally—well, almost. “I did do Much Ado About Nothing in high school,” he laughed. “I realized that this morning.”
Even so, the role fits him like a glove. “Iago has interactions with the audience, they kind of become his partner in it. And every night it is different. That’s what I love so much about it.”
Standing on stage before a recent performance, Gyllenhaal called it his favorite place to be. “You get to a point where you’re like, ‘Oh, I’ve worked my whole career for this, for this moment.’”
A Modern Take on a Timeless Tragedy
Shakespeare’s Othello was written around 1604, but this production updates the setting to “the near future,” with subtle nods to modern struggles, including PTSD among soldiers. “People, you know, they ordinarily think, ‘Oh yeah, it’s about jealousy. And he betrays him,'” Washington said. “No, it’s about two soldiers who trust each other with their lives.”
Gyllenhaal echoed that sentiment. “What is shared is theirs. That’s what makes their bond so strong.”
Legacy and Impact
Othello has a long and complicated history on Broadway. For decades, the title role was played by white actors in blackface. That shifted in 1943 with Paul Robeson’s groundbreaking portrayal, and the last to play the part before Washington was James Earl Jones in 1982.
“James Earl Jones was my northern star when I was in college,” said Washington. “He was who I wanted to be. I didn’t get to see his Othello, but I know it wasn’t as good as my 22-year-old interpretation!” he joked. “But you know, it’s my turn.”
Two Actors at the Height of Their Craft
Both actors bring deep theatrical backgrounds to the stage. Washington has performed Shakespeare throughout his career, including roles as Richard III and Julius Caesar. Gyllenhaal, known for his intense performances in Brokeback Mountain, Zodiac, and Nightcrawler, is no stranger to Broadway either—this is his fourth appearance.
“I feel tremendous gratitude,” Gyllenhaal said. “And [Denzel] makes me feel it when I walk in that rehearsal room every day.”
Washington added, “Movies are a filmmaker’s medium. Theater is an actor’s medium. The curtain goes up, nobody can help you.”
And clearly, with two of the most respected actors in the game leading this production, nobody needs to.
