Washington was pictured in a 1975 production of ‘Emperor Jones’ in the photo posted to Fordham University’s official Instagram over the weekend
Denzel Washington’s alma mater is throwing it back almost 50 years in honor of his latest role.
As Washington’s new movie Gladiator II hit theaters over the weekend, his former college, Fordham University, posted a snapshot of the actor back in a student production in the ’70s.
The two-time Academy Award winner, 69, is shown as a young man in the photo, wearing a red-and-gold uniform and sitting in a throne-like high-back chair. The second image in the school’s post featured a film still of Washington as Macrinus in Gladiator II.
“Before taking over Hollywood, Denzel Washington, FCLC ‘77, owned the stage at Fordham — like in ‘Emperor Jones’ here in 1975,” the caption read.
“Now, he’s back in the spotlight with a lead role in Gladiator II, which was released in theaters yesterday! 👑,” it continued. “Have you seen the movie?”
Earlier this month, Fred Hechinger, who plays Roman emperor Caracalla in the film, told PEOPLE it was “a great honor” to share scenes with an actor as esteemed as Washington.
“It’s also an immense joy,” added the White Lotus star, 24. “He’s such a deep and true actor.”
Describing watching Washington’s process, Hechinger says he got “really wrapped up in it.”
Paramount Pictures Denzel Washington in Gladiator II (2024)
“I feel that the scenes were one thing on the page, and then you walk into it and you start to play and stuff comes up,” he recalled to PEOPLE. “That’s just so of the moment, and that’s what it was every day with him. He’s just so there.”
As for Washington’s academic history, he originally enrolled at Fordham University to study journalism and medicine, but interest in those fields faded once he landed roles in the school’s production of The Emperor Jones and Othello.
He also found time for the basketball court, playing on the school’s junior varsity team under coach P. J. Carlesimo, who went on to lead the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
Gladiator II is in theaters now.
