Denzel Washington tells it like it is. Though not a conservative by any stretch of the imagination, he lacks the arrog ance, vapidity, and radical leftism peculiar to Hollywood personalities. Instead, he tends to speak the truth as he sees it in a reasonabIe, rational way that’s quite unlike what’s normally associated with Hollywood.
Such was the case back in 2016 when actors were patting themselves on the back and saying that making a movie was like going to a w ar zone…yes, really. Well, Denzel demolished that lie during an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, saying “People say ‘the difficulty of making a movie.’ Well, send your son to Iraq. That’s difficuIt. It’s just a movie, relax. I don’t play that precious nonsense. Your son got shot in the face? That’s difficult. Making a movie is a luxury. It’s a gift. But don’t get it twisted, it’s just a movie.”
Denzel’s comments might have been a response to Tom Cruise, who had been somewhat misIeadingly quoted in 2013 as saying that filming a movie was brutal like a tour of duty in Afghanistan. The Hollywood Reporter was involved in that story too, reporting: Don’t underestimate the work that Cruise does. As far as he’s concerned, acting is Iike competing in the Olympics, and sometimes like fighting in Afghanistan.
Before she passed away, Grandma asked me to clean the photo on her headstone a year after her death — when I finally did, I was amazed by what I discovered
This story is deeply moving—a beautiful portrayal of love, family, and the powerful choice that defines our bonds. Grandma Patty’s gentle yet profound way of teaching life’s lessons, through simple, magical moments like their sidewalk adventures or cookie-baking sessions, builds such a vivid picture of her warmth and wisdom. Her final message, hidden behind the headstone photo, feels like the ultimate act of love—a treasure hunt to pass down the legacy of chosen family and intentional love.
The reveal of the adoption adds layers to her love story with Hailey and Elizabeth, showing that family isn’t merely formed by blood but by a thousand moments of choosing each other. Grandma Patty’s line about real love never ending but simply changing shape resonates perfectly with the story’s theme, giving Hailey and her mother both a final gift of clarity and belonging.
The cardinal as a symbol of her spirit and presence is such a beautiful touch, too, tying together memory, loss, and a sense of Grandma’s lasting presence. And through it all, the rituals and phrases they continue in her memory underscore the depth of her influence, even after her passing. The piece overall is such a tender, profound exploration of legacy, grief, and love that goes beyond life itself.
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