Did Denzel Washington Really Ignore Jay-Z at an LA Lakers Game? What Went Down

In the world of entertainment and music, you can’t take things at face value. Remember when we all thought the chemistry between Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in The Notebook was real? It turns out they didn’t get along, and Ryan reportedly felt there wasn't enough chemistry! Sure, they later dated, but that’s beside the point. Hollywood is Hollywood, and everything should be taken with a grain of salt.

Some friendships are planned, romantic relationships can be mere PR stunts, and industry plants are everywhere.

Speaking of relationships, what’s up with actor Denzel Washington seemingly shrugging off Jay-Z in a resurfaced clip of the two at a basketball game? One would assume they get along or, at the very least, would put on a friendly front in public. The clip is pretty shocking, to say the least, but we think we know what’s going on.

Seeing a feud between two celebrities play out while secretly recorded on camera is pure bliss. After all, it’s rare for us to get a glimpse into their lives and see what they're really like in the real world.

That brings us to this clip of an encounter between Jay-Z and Denzel.

On the forefront, it looks like Denzel is blatantly disregarding Jay-Z, even nudging him away as Jay-Z tries to get his attention. Seriously?

As the video plays on, Denzel can be seen continuing his conversation with a few men on the court, still ignoring Jay-Z, even as it’s apparent that Jay-Z is trying to say something to the American Gangster star. Yet, Denzel continues to brush him off, eagerly engaging with others. Jay-Z even seems to try to shrug off the nudge with a slight smile, but c'mon, who brushes off Jay-Z in public?

Denzel wasn't exactly ignoring Jay-Z during the game between the Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2023. Instead, he appeared to be arguing with some people on the sidelines, and Jay-Z seemed to step in to help diffuse the situation.

At first, Denzel didn’t seem to care who was tugging at his arm, likely telling him to “walk away” or “let it go.” However, it seems he was able to collect himself and eventually walked away.

He and Jay-Z are later seen wrapping their arms around each other, signaling that there is no feud between them. Instead, it seems like one friend is helping another avoid what could turn into a disastrous situation or an incident worthy of making headlines.

While we can't confirm if Jay-Z and Denzel are the best of buds, it’s clear that Jay-Z stepped in to calm a potential situation, and there are no signs of the two having taken digs at each other in the past. Denzel even recalled a time he went to the studio with Jay-Z and Lenny Kravitz. So, it’s safe to say they are more like allies than enemies.