Audiences worldwide know Denzel Washington because of his Oscar-worthy performances in Malcolm X, A Soldier’s Story, Fences and more. But the Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient actually got his roots on stage, which he explained was another reason why you can’t call him a “Hollywood actor:”

Denzel Washington is doing more than breaking box office records with his blockbuster Broadway outing with Jake Gyllenhaal — he's setting the record straight on how he feels about being labeled a "Hollywood actor" who occasionally graces the New York stage.