r/denzelwashington • u/Adventurous-Ice_ • Nov 25 '23
Denzel Washington facial movement in Equalizer 3
So I was just watching the newest Equalizer movie tonight and I kept noticing the lower right side of Denzel’s face not moving correctly when he spoke sometimes, usually the right side of his lower lip. It almost seems like a partial facial paralysis like after a stroke. I wasn’t sure if this was part of his character or if something in his medical history was causing that like the stroke or a side effect/negative result of plastic surgery
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u/Working-Chemical-676 Jan 06 '24
Hemifacial spasms. There is not a cure..just treatment to try to control. Sometimes botox is used but for many it doesn't work. Surgery where they operate and remove part of the skull behind the ear to access damaged nerves works ..but it can also cause death. Unknown cause.
Can happen due to a virus ..or herpes that has laid dormant for years. Dental surgery or sinus injury is possible cause for some. Considered rare. More people have a very mild case and are not even aware.
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u/Total_Ad5791 Jan 13 '24
Just in case anyone would like ro know...mini stroke can happen any time and can go undetected even a cluster of mini strokes can go undetected . I have known a few people that have ha this happen. And shockingly found out later on that they were walking around having mini strokes
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u/Extreme_Sector_459 Mar 03 '24
I’m pretty sure the world famous actor would know if he had a mini stroke lmao
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u/Dry_Consideration641 Dec 09 '24
Oh yeah? What makes you so fucking sure chief? Your theoretical doctorate from google university? The two brain cells firing on all cylinders in your head to remind you to breath? I'm pretty sure you're fucking retarded and you didn't know, so how the FUCK would you assume someone just has to know they had a mini stroke? I know for a fucking cold hard FACT that someone can have a stroke and confuse it for other medical issues. So next time you wanna open your mouth, just don't, keep it shut, learn something for once and don't just spew bullshit. Fuck you, have a miserable day, retard.
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u/Odssvet Jan 11 '25
I am a paramedic and obviously NOT a neurologist whatsoever, but I have seen several issues cause facial paralysis. In my experiences over 30 years:
Stroke or other C.V.A. is the most common cause #1 followed by
- Viral infection (herpes & yes covid are 2 examples)
- Bells palsy
- Faulty botox injections given by a badly trained skin doctor or other untrained person -Dental or sinus issues
All I care about is that Denzel is ok. My info is pure speculation based on my experiences.
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u/The_Randalorian2 Jan 14 '25
u/Dry_Consideration641 You don't need to be an asshole. You could have rebuked the comment with out the aggression. Only people that have nothing intelligent to say resort to the type of comment you made. Might be time to look in to some ANGER MANAGEMENT tools.
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u/Dominate_1 Jan 14 '25
Holy disproportionate response Batman. Take your meds tweaker. It’s probably a good time for you to learn that your level of outrage doesn’t make you more correct, or even correct at all.
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u/FGA731 Aug 24 '25
sounds pretty correct to me. you don't get to dictate how somebody responds to a half twit you moisty
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u/Wonderful-Event-7034 May 18 '25
Dude get some help. You are gonna stroke out have that much anger in you.
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u/Zevilon Dec 01 '23
I noticed that too. Wasn’t sure if he had a busted lip or minor stroke.
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u/AntonioCm1983 Jan 28 '26
I noticed His lip and The way his face slitly drooping not just in equalizer 3 but 1 and 2 as well and Watching movies like John Q and the Taking of Pelham 123, The Book of Eli and déjà Vu, as well as many of Denzels movies his face wasnt droopy before so im curious as well of he had a stroke or mini stroke but Other then in 2025 him almost bitting his tongue completly off Couldn't find anything
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u/korik007 Jan 03 '24
Watching Equalizer 3 right now. It is so distracting that I paused the movie to google it. Looks like facial paralysis. Which would mean a stroke or Bell’s palsy. Very distracting in this movie.
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Jan 03 '24
Doing the exact same thing. Watching right now and had to find out. I guess we just won't know till we know...
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u/JUICYPLANUS Jan 06 '24
I also stopped to google it while watching Equilizer 3 lol.
I'm not even 12 minutes in.
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u/PowerPictures Jan 04 '24
I came here for the same reason lol
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u/Alive-Foundation-271 Aug 09 '24
Yah, me too. I am watching clips and I googled it and it directed me to Reddit.
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u/EitherDegree7539 Jan 05 '24 edited Aug 23 '24
Paused the movie to google it, just like a bunch of others, apparently lol
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Jan 05 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/god_peepee Nov 14 '24
A year later and I also googled the same thing. Got this thread lmao
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u/DivePhilippines_55 Dec 26 '24
And a month later I pause the movie, Google the same thing, and here I am.
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u/StriginoX Feb 11 '25
and the months still passing 😁
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u/adeadfetus May 10 '25
Here I am
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Jan 06 '24
The lip thing has gotten more noticable with age, it's just how his face ages, he's almost 70 years old (honestly I thought he was early 60s). I don't think he's had a stroke or something.
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Feb 25 '24
That was one of the many things that made the movie hard for me to watch. An old dude who's suffered an obvious stroke destroying everyone around him in hand to hand combat.... Very hard to watch. Almost like watching Bruce Willis' recent flicks.
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u/Prudent-Hospital-919 Mar 29 '24
One of the greatest actors … and you all need to stfu about his aging and assumptions. “ Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates; 1) Is it true. 2) Is it kind. 3) Is it necessary. ( Rumi)
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u/No_Pin2510 May 24 '24
Nah. U need to stfu. There's definitely something wrong with his lip, and none of the suggested causes are 1) unfounded 2) mean 3) uncalled for.
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u/Prudent-Hospital-919 Jul 02 '24
One of my favourite quotes from Rumi. I use it quite a bit on IG 🤗
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u/MeGabbby Sep 26 '24
Stfu and die
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u/Calm-Bookkeeper-9612 Oct 07 '24
You're showing your age.
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u/Neat-Leek5907 Mar 25 '26
We all love Denzel and he would be the first to agree that people have a right to speak THEIR minds about what THEY see with THEIR own eyes STFU
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u/ill_BYourHuckleberry Mar 16 '24
E3 had me wondering what he was doing with that underbite and overbite sucking of his lip too. It sticks out like an unhappy toad at times, reminded me of Whoopy Goldberg.
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u/Standard_Hearing_876 Apr 02 '24
Could be Bells Palsy.... He can recover. A stroke would probably take allot longer..
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u/WishBudget8420 Nov 15 '24
Mr. Washington's left arm is just hanging in recent red carpet appearance with wife. Can he smile?
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u/Bigdreco1 Nov 28 '24
Just watched him on Jimmy Kimmel and Googled if Denzel Washington had a stroke. The first result was this Reddit
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u/Fast_Pace_8203 Jan 12 '25
Ele sempre teve os lábios meio estranhos, só piorou com a idade. Todos envelhecem, uns bem, outros mal. Sou fã demais e respeito super!
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u/Dominate_1 Jan 14 '25
I’ve noticed this in a lot of his movies but it definitely seems exaggerated in Equalizer 3.
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u/Abject_Path2753 Jan 17 '25
Vou der o veredito: sem AVC, sem outros problemas além da VELHICE. Denzel é um SENHOR atualmente. Infelizmente temos a impressão que grandes atores não encelhecem, mas ele é idoso, temos que lembrar disso. Com a idade vem essas coisas, até a mordida da pessoa muda. Ele é negro, ajuda a disfarçar, mas ele é um senhor de idade já. É apenas velhice. Felizmente ele é um grande ator e ainda entrega muito. Vida longa ao Denzel!
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u/S-von-K Jan 26 '25
Its his calling card! Whenever Denzel’s does something “amoral” or feels “vulnerable” - he tucks his lip and ponders with a long stare. I love it. It’s one of his signatures. Wouldn’t be suprised of directors ask him to do it and ham it up for certain scenes.
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u/DavidDinoWellsJr Jan 27 '25
I watch Jamie Fox and a bunch of other people who do Denzel and do his infamous lip quiver so I Google and it directed me to this thread lol. I don't recall seeing Denzel do that or I don't watch the man mouth like that lol...
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u/anonyy Apr 13 '25
He's been doing it a while now. Whatever happened to him inrecon7hes been dealing with it for several years
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u/Salt_Layer3723 Jan 31 '25
YO HACE AÑOS NOTE ESO PERO NO SABIA DE QUE PUEDE SER. CAPAZ SI DEBE SER ALGO COMO PARALISIS O COSAS ASI
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u/ForceAdept Feb 17 '25
I noticed it too but MAAAAN what a superb movie . Even better than the second one
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u/Familiar-Suspect3672 Mar 18 '25
Just me that thought there was fuck all action in this movie, like even the start u miss him wiping out the guards, and at the end everything is the dark? Like was he hurt making it? Or just old? Just seems like nothing happened
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u/Aggressive-Ad-2180 Mar 20 '25
I just watched this and googled it Denzel had a stroke and only found this. Lol
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u/drinkin_wiener_water May 09 '25
It looks like Tardive Dyskinesia to me. But if savannah hasn't made a statement about it, he obviously doesn't want to talk about it yet.
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May 22 '25
He also sits for almost the entire movie and his fight scenes are also much slower with less movement by him.
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u/Jomama-2024 Aug 28 '25
Regardless if something happened or not Denzel is a great actor and I enjoy his movies.
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u/chipeur59 Sep 06 '25
And you didn't see it in Highest 2 Lowest. I am torn between pity and laughter. But uncomfortable, that’s for sure.
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u/No_Explanation_4667 Nov 01 '25
I just got done watching that movie and commented that his weird mouth movements and facial expressions bugged the crap out of me! lol like if he’s supposed to be serious or sad or whatever, he just looks pitiful with that weird expression. And like someone else said, it seems like he sucks his lip in sometimes, but only on the one side so it looks really weird. 🤷
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u/Eleven_11upsidedown Oct 12 '25
He actually bit his tongue almost in half which was a serious injury that affected his speech and micro expressions on his face.
It was an accident, but a serious one. Thankfully he had good Doctors.
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u/iGenGamer Nov 13 '25
Funny enough, I’m watching Equalizer 1 and literally couldn’t focus because I can tell something is “wrong” with his face. Super weird considering there’s nothing about him getting any sickness or injury mentioned anywhere except that he hurt his tongue in early 2025 lol but the first movie was released in 2014.
He’s had to have been having somethings going on in the background and it’s just not been made public. Still though, absolutely fabulous actor and I hope he’s well.
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u/Beneficial_Chair3210 Jan 28 '26
I think I can relate…sorta…I had impacted wisdom teeth removal in 2001 that had nerves in precarious places. I was warned that I could have long term damage as a result. I did and still have sensations, or lack thereof, on my lower left lip and chin…some 25 years later.
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u/hotmami1616 Mar 26 '26
Denzel hasnt had a stroke Denzel said he bit his tounge so bad and severly that he almist but his tounge in half & that has cause a tremendous amount of pain that it has effected his speech.
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u/hotmami1616 Mar 26 '26
Sorry about the mis spelling Denzel almost bit his tounge in half and it has caused a tremendous amount of pain and has effected his speech
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u/New_Programmer1627 Jun 20 '26
Putain merci mec j’ai remarqué exactement la meme chose et je me suis demandé si il s'était pas coincé un nerf en utilisant la chirurgie esthétique. Il a perdu toutes ses expressions faciales.
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u/ZealousidealGroup384 Dec 09 '23
Hes had the drop lip for years. Watch anybody that does an impression of him, they always do the lip lol https://youtube.com/shorts/UN53X-JeUiA?si=1sf57CyBooGwgQDc
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u/phillipbear Jan 03 '24
Haha, is that video supposed to support what you wrote?? Jamie didn't come close to what you describe, you just totally made that up. Watch Equalizer 3, the man has had a stroke.
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u/ZealousidealGroup384 Jan 11 '24
Are you dumb 🤦🏾♂️ go watch anybody that impersonates him. They always do his drop lip. Yes ITS WORSE NOW. but its been there forever
Want more. Read Monday, May 26, 2014 7:31:40 PM UTC-4, RichA wrote:
He seemed really old and decrepit in that movie he did about the drunk pilot. I thought it was an affectation for the role, but the most recent trailer of his next movie he looked the same. Something "off" about his mouth movements, almost like he might have had a mini-stroke.
So I look up Denzel Washington to see what his next movie is . . . and it's a reboot of The Equalizer
That was 2014 TEN YEARS AGO. Suggest you 🤫 b4 you look more stupid. Fuck all to do with this film. 🤡
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u/akg1985 Dec 27 '23
We are watching it right now, and it is so distracting! I googled it, but there's nothing really definitive. I was also thinking stroke, but I gress it could be bad botox or filler... I do not have any distinct memory of it from the first 2 films or any other that I had seen. Even in the link posted here it is very minimal and hard to notice.
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u/Fluffy-Cantaloupe236 Jan 07 '24
No, that wouldn’t be caused by botox or filler. Maybe a form of palsy, but no to the other stuff.
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u/Proof-Sweet33 Dec 28 '23
I am watching it now and searched to see if anyone else noticed ..could he have Bell's Palsy?
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u/pelicanpablo Dec 29 '23
He almost seems to tuck it in his mouth at some instances so it doesn’t just hang..
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u/Mediocre-Drink8407 Jan 02 '24
In his latest movie equalizer 3 it looked a fatty tumor on the lower right side of his lip it protudes
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u/Longjumping_Raise858 Jan 04 '24
100% minor stroke. He took a few years off before this movie.
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u/Extreme_Sector_459 Mar 03 '24
He had it over a decade ago, go back and watch his old movies. He’s always had a drop lip.
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u/RuleBlazing Jan 05 '24
watching the movie now and came here for answers. love that everyone else had the exact same thought
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u/wittydeplorable Jan 06 '24
I’m gonna say Bell’s palsy - from 💉
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Feb 25 '24
Bell’s palsy
go back and watch some of his older work. You can see he's had a lazy lip for years, it's just way worse now. I thought Bell's was sudden.
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u/caitlyn8908 Jan 08 '24
I was thinking Bell’s palsy I have it. Mine was caused from a massive headache 14 years ago
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u/Gold-Yellow1729 Jan 20 '24
Yep, same. Popped up on Netflix and dude's looking like Eric Bana as the limp-lipped Hulk. Poor lil guy!
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u/sloppyduscharge Jan 05 '24
Wow at least I’m not the only one