'It’s the Wars Now': Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal on Why Their Othello Is Made for Today

Broadway is no stranger to spectacle. But every once in a while, something comes along that feels just as big as a falling chandelier, a green witch ascending into the air, or figures of Greek mythology descending into the Underworld. Enter Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, stepping onto the stage in Kenny Leon’s reimagining of Othello (currently running at the Barrymore Theatre), where Shakespeare’s 400-year-old tragedy gets a modern, war-torn makeover. If you ever wondered what happens when two of Hollywood’s most revered actors engage in one of the most intense duels in theatre history…well, it’s one of the must-see events of the spring, regularly topping the Broadway box office.

While on a break from rehearsals back in February, Gyllenhaal (a newcomer to performing Shakespeare) admits that he is buzzing from the process and is soaking it all up. “It’s extraordinary to me. The rehearsal room is the most magical place, right? It’s a discovery room—we’re calling it that,�� he said, practically vibrating with excitement. “To be in a rehearsal room with [Denzel], to watch him in process, to be with the incredible cast, together making this organism�� it’s just been incredible.��

Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal Shawn Salley

For Washington, who has loved the play ever since he did a college production at the age of 22, the return to Othello comes with new realizations—and new physical challenges. “My knees swell up in the evening,�� he says deadpanned, and then a cheeky smile emerges when asked what he’s discovering this time around. “I discovered ice.��

Gyllenhaal, delighted, shoots back: “You didn’t know about ice?��

“No, I didn’t know about ice at 22,�� Washington admits laughing. “At 22, I was going to the library at Lincoln Center and listening to whoever it was I was listening to and just imitating him. I don’t do that anymore.��

What he does now, however, is pour everything into the role, and his passion for the work is obvious. “I’m up at three in the morning, putting in 15, 16, 17, 18-hour days. I try to get up and think about God, and I’m waking up and thinking about Othello.�� It’s a testament of his love for the play, considering the Tony winner also has a minister’s license.

For Gyllenhaal, taking on Iago opposite Washington’s Othello isn’t just another career milestone—it’s the culmination of a lifelong aspiration. “To have an opportunity to work on this show with this human being, with an actor who’s been one of my favorite actors my whole life—I don’t even know what to say. This is what I’ve always wanted, and it’s a dream come true.��

Leon’s interpretation of the play situates Othello and Iago in a contemporary military setting, pulling their bond out of the Venetian past and into a more immediate, war-ravaged present. “It’s about their bond, which is war,�� Washington explained. “They’re both killers. They’re both great soldiers. They saved each other’s lives, and they trust each other completely.��

Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington Heather Gershonowitz

The decision to place Othello in a military setting in the modern day isn’t just an aesthetic choice; it’s a way of making the play’s themes more immediate, more urgent. Washington and Gyllenhaal, playing two Marines, are wrestling with issues that modern soldiers know all too well: trauma, loyalty, power, and betrayal. It’s a production that doesn’t just ask audiences to watch—it asks them to feel.

“It’s PTSD now. It’s seizures now. It’s the wars now,�� Washington emphasized. “That speaks to a 20-year-old who might be on his way, or her way, over there or just got back.��

Gyllenhaal agreed. “I think Iago as a character looks up and admires Othello in every way—that’s just already there. Particularly playing two Marines, what they’ve been through together, what they’ve shared, things that only they know, make the bond stronger than, really, any bond in the show.��

While Iago is often thought of as Shakespeare’s most infamous villain, Gyllenhaal approaches him differently. “I don’t think Iago is just out to ruin someone’s life. This is a show that’s ultimately about love and hurt,�� he said. “And I think that in the end, this ball gets rolling, and as it starts, he doesn’t have that control over it.��

For audiences, the production promises not just star power but also a deeply felt, recontextualized take on Othello. Washington and Gyllenhaal aren’t just playing these roles; they’re living them, breathing new life into lines that have been spoken for centuries. And despite Washington’s insistence that he’s feeling his age; there’s something thrilling and fresh about what’s happening in that rehearsal room.

“The biggest hope is discovery,�� Washington said. “Every day—it’s a daily process.�� Gyllenhaal nods in agreement. “As Kenny says, we live every day grateful to be in the rehearsal room working on material like this.��

Washington, always one to bring things back to the heart of the matter, reflected on what this new Othello can mean for younger audiences. Othello recently announced a partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and New York City Department of Education to bring 2,000 students to the show. Plus there's a $49 student rush. “Hopefully, they can get a ticket,�� he said. “I'm sure we'll have some Q&As with the kids. I’d be curious to see what they think. They’re probably like, ‘Oh, that’s like my cousin.’�� It’s not just the audience, as Washington (who recently turned 70) remarked: “This whole cast keeps me young.��