A headline from a satirical website suggesting that American actor Denzel Washington refused to work with Disney because the company was “woke” has been shared as authentic news on social media.
A spokesperson for the actor said in an email that the reports are “not true.”
The image with the headline “Denzel Washington Refuses To Work For Disney ‘They’re A Woke Company’,” was posted on social media, opens new tab along with captions by users sharing it as real news, including “Denzel Washington is a smart man. Disney is trash now. I hate everything they stand for,” and “Thank You Denzel.”
Reuters Image
The image circulated following an April 27 post, opens new tab by The Patriots Network Facebook page, whose logo also appears in the top-left corner of the image. The page describes itself as “a Network of Satire and Parody affiliated with SpacexMania.com.”
On Aug. 30, 2023, SpaceXMania posted an article, opens new tab with similar images and headlined “Breaking: Denzel Washington Declines Disney’s $50 Million Project, ‘They’re Too Woke’,” which was tagged as satire.
Advertisement · Scroll to continue
The website’s “About Us” page, opens new tab says it produces the “freshest fake news, some sassy analysis, and a good dose of satire, all rolled into one crazy concoction that orbits around Elon Musk and everything that’s lighting up the viral/trending charts.”
A similar March 2023 headline, opens new tab, “Denzel Washington Refuses To Work for Disney’s ‘Woke Cinematic Universe’” was published by another satirical website, opens new tab, The Dunning-Kruger Times.
There is no credible reporting, opens new tab that Washington ever made such statements.
Reuters has previously addressed false claims about celebrities declining collaborations citing “wokeness” as the reason.
News
Caitlin Clark Turns Heads in Bold Outfit Ahead of Record-Breaking WNBA Game
Caitlin Clark (Photo via @IndianaFever/Twitter) Caitlin Clark was grabbing online attention with her pregame outfit well before she went to the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Clark was…
Colin Kaepernick’s Shocking Move: Considering Relocation to Russia Amid American Struggles
Colin Kaepernick Considers Relocating to Russia After Ongoing Struggles in America In a surprising and controversial podcast interview, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick expressed his frustrations with…
Kid Rock and Sam Elliott Unleash on Latest Controversy: ‘Only Special Foolishness Asks for More Chaos!’
In a bold and no-holds-barred move, music icon Kid Rock and legendary actor Sam Elliott have voiced their unfiltered opinions on the recent wave of cultural controversies,…
Taylor Swift’s $125 Million Endorsement Disaster: How a Vegan Crypto Endorsement Sent Her Brand Deals Plummeting
In what can only be described as a seismic shift in the world of pop culture and product placements, Taylor Swift, America’s sweetheart-turned-political commentator, has reportedly lost…
Shocking Move: ABC Fires David Muir and Linsey Davis for Fact-Checking—What Does This Mean for Debate Moderation?
In a move that shocked exactly zero people on Twitter but left the world of broadcast journalism reeling, ABC News has reportedly fired debate moderators David Muir…
Nike is considering ending its contract with Brittney Griner following the recent uproar
Nike, one of the world’s most iconic sports brands, is reportedly reviewing its sponsorship contract with WNBA star Brittney Griner following a wave of controversy. The uproar…
End of content
No more pages to load