Child reporter asks Denzel Washington how to be a 'gangster' — gets life-changing advice

While actors often play gangsters, serial killers, or even terrorists, great performers remain mindful of their influence on society. In the 2007 film American Gangster, Denzel Washington earned praise for his portrayal of notorious Harlem crime boss Frank Lucas. However, one 8-year-old boy who watched the movie became a little too inspired, starting to dream of becoming a gangster himself. Fortunately, Washington quickly stepped in, offering the child wise advice to steer him in the right direction. Their heartwarming exchange was caught on videoand soon went viral.

From Malcolm X to Fences, Washington's roles are mostly inspiring and often accompanied by powerful dialogue. But in American Gangster, he played a character with a darker side. Most things about the real-life criminal and drug lord are fictionalized in the movie, but the little boy takes the character way too seriously and gets influenced by him.

When the Oscar-winning actor was attending the red carpet at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) 2024 for the international premiere of “The Piano Lesson,” he stopped for a while to give interviews to the reporters. That's when Virgin Radio’s Daryn & Deepa’s 8-year-old Kid Reporter, Liam, walked up to him.

He asked, “Hi, I’m Liam. I’ve heard ‘American Gangster’ is a good movie. How can I be a Canadian gangster?” Taken aback, Washington gave him a piece of serious career advice. “You shouldn’t be a gangster. You’re too smart to be a gangster. What’s your favorite subject?” he asked before giving some options “Mathematics? Science?” Liam nodded and said he loved math and desired to go into the medical field. “It’s better to be a doctor than a gangster. OK? Never want to be a gangster,” Washington said on a serious note. The boy confessed that he didn’t like gangsters, to which the actor added with a chuckle, “I don’t like gangsters either.”

After Washington walked away, the boy was seen cheering with the crowd of reporters. The crowd erupted into applause for Liam, who just received a piece of super-powerful life advice from one of the most acclaimed actors in America and across the globe. “Good job,” one woman exclaimed as Liam was left with a smile.

On Virgin Radio’s Instagram page, the clip has been viewed more than 1.2 million times. Commenting on the clip, user @bradley_blair_osteopath wrote, “He will remember that interaction for the rest of his life.” Reflecting on the paradox between reel-life character Frank Lucas and real-life person Denzel Washington, @robhaze said, “Can’t make Blue Magic without science.”

In a later post, radio producer Deepa revealed that this was the first time Liam was sent in to interview a Hollywood movie star, and “he smashed it!” While doing interviews and managing throngs of the crowd around him, he even distributed snacks to other members of the press. Apart from Washington, Selena Gomez also got interviewed by him. She reposted the video and said it was the best interview she had ever done.