Adding another Shakespeare adaptation to his acting credits, Denzel Washington ed forces with s McDormand in the reimagining of the famous playwright's Scottish tale, one final scene in The Tragedy of Macbeth, but otherwise remains faithful to a large proportion of the source material. The film is critically acclaimed for its refreshing rendering of the Scottish legend, but also for Denzel Washington's performance.

Prior to the film, Washington already had a great deal of experience when it comes to adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays. In addition to all the theater work he's done that sees him take on Shakespeare characters, he starred in 1993's Much Ado About Nothing, which was based on a play written by Shakespeare. His role received significant praise, but not on the same level as the performance he put in for The Tragedy of Macbeth, which allowed him to break a major Shakespeare record at the Academy.

Denzel Washington's Oscar Nomination For The Tragedy of Macbeth Broke A 31-Year Shakespeare Record

Washington Lost The Academy Award To Will Smith's Performance In King Richard

Until the release of The Tragedy of Macbeth in 2021, no actor had been nominated for a Shakespearean role in 31 years. Shakespeare may never have gone out of fashion, but his long-standing work has had a complex relationship with the Academy for many years. Nominations for Shakespearean adaptations were prevalent in the early years of the Academy, with awards for both Best Picture and Best Actor. However, these adaptations only began to make a comeback after numerous nominations for Steven Spielberg's reboot of West Side Story.

Before Denzel Washington's nomination for The Tragedy of Macbeth in 2022, the last actor to be nominated for a Shakespearean role was Kenneth Branagh in 1990. Branagh was nominated for his role in Henry V during the Academy's 62nd ceremony in 1990. Henry V is considered one of Kenneth Branagh's best roles, despite just missing out on the award to fellow nominee, Daniel Day Lewis. It's clear that Denzel Washington's Oscar nomination for The Tragedy of Macbeth is accredited to the visionary talent of Joel Coen, who signaled a far more cynical prophecy over Shakespeare's neatly tied resolution.

Kenneth Branagh Played Macbeth 8 Years Before Denzel Washington

Kenneth Branagh Performed In The National Theatre Live Production Of Macbeth

Kenneth Branagh returned to the stage for the first time in over a decade in 2013 to play the lead of Macbeth. This came after Branagh's performance in Richard III at the Crucible, in Sheffield, in 2002. The actor has a remarkable familiarity with Shakespeare's work, which ultimately results in his dominance of the arts. Branagh's Macbeth was staged in a de-consecrated church for the Manchester International Festival, and reminds audiences how superb the actor is at performing Shakespeare — which is famously regarded as an exceptionally difficult craft.

The tragic tale unfolds and provides a platform for Branagh to exhibit an even greater range of vocal expressions, which truly makes it an experience that should not be missed.

Directed by Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh, Macbeth was performed eight years before Denzel Washington's performance in The Tragedy of Macbeth, and serves as a reminder of Branagh's tremendous artistry with the sensitive nature of Shakespearean language. The tragic tale unfolds and provides a platform for Branagh to exhibit an even greater range of vocal expressions, which truly makes it an experience that should not be missed.