Denzel Washington left Katie Couric 'shaken' after 'uncomfortable' 2004 interview, she says

close

Video

Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for April 28

Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment.

Katie Couric is looking back at an awkward moment she shared with Denzel Washington.

The famed journalist, 63, recently appeared on the "Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino" podcast, where she recounted interviewing Washington about his film "The Manchurian Candidate" in 2004.

In the "Dateline" interview, Couric asked Washington whether "Hollywood folks should stick to acting."

ZOOEY DESCHANEL SHARES SWEET BIRTHDAY POST TO BOYFRIEND JONATHAN SCOTT: 'YOU ARE ONE OF A KIND WONDERFUL'

“I don’t know what Hollywood folks are, first of all,” said Washington, who is 65 today. “Hollywood is a town that has some stars on the sidewalk. I don’t know anybody from there. So, I don’t – that’s like saying – calling you a ‘type’ of folks. I’m not a Hollywood folk. I don’t know who they are.”

Denzel Washington was interviewed by Katie Couric in 2004 regarding his film 'The Manchurian Candidate.' (Reuters)

Couric attempted to rephrase the question, beginning to ask: "Are you one of those people that --"

Washington interjected: "Ah, there you go. Am I one of those people? Hmmm, isn’t that interesting?"

"Oh, stop, stop, stop," Couric said.

DAX SHEPARD EXPLAINS WHY HE'S OK IF HIS DAUGHTERS TRY CERTAIN PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS WHEN THEY'RE OLDER

“No, don’t stop. I heard what you just said. ‘Am I one of those people?’ No, I’m not," Washington replied.

Couric again tried to rephrase the question, saying: "No, are you an actor who would rather not —"

Denzel interrupted and said: "No, I’m not that either. I’m a human being. My job is acting."

During the podcast interview, Couric referred to the interview as "uncomfortable."

Denzel Washington. (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni )

"I think he totally misconstrued a question I asked and kind of jumped all over me," she recalled to host Danny Pellegrino. "It was so uncomfortable because he was doing it with Meryl Streep..."

Couric said she remembers leaving the interview thinking, "I don't think I said anything wrong... I don't know what happened."

"I think he must have been having a really bad day because he later wrote a really big check to my colon cancer organization, which I thought was super sweet," the journalist said. "I love him, I admire him so much. He's one of my favorite actors, but I remember walking out and feeling really kind of shaken that he had kind of gone after me in a way that was completely, weirdly uncalled for."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Reps for Washington did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.