Denzel Washington recently shared insights from a 1999 interview, where he discussed the challenging 'flogging scene' in 'Glory.' The actor, now 69, recounted how the actor tasked with whipping him was hesitant to perform the action. This interview was featured in the recent episode of '60 Minutes: A Second Look,' a podcast that delves into the archives of the CBS news show.

The episode, titled 'The Gladiator of Acting,' focused on Washington and included excerpts from three interviews he had given over the past 25 years. Washington spoke about 'Glory,' the 1989 Civil War drama directed by Edward Zwick, which tells the story of the first all-Black regiment in the US military, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. In the film, Washington played Private Silas Trip, an escaped slave, alongside Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, and Cary Elwes.

During the interview with the late '60 Minutes' broadcaster Ed Bradley, Washington detailed his preparation for the scene where his character is flogged for going AWOL to find shoes for other Black soldiers. 'Basically what I did was, got on my knees and sort of communicated with the spirits of those who had been enslaved — who had been whipped. And when I came out, I was in charge,' he told Bradley. 'I said, ‘Trip was in charge.’ I said, ‘If this is what Trip, if this is what you men, if that’s what you call yourselves, want to do to Trip, then come with it.’'

Washington also mentioned actor John Finn, who played Sergeant Major Mulcahy and was reluctant to whip him. 'The guy that was whipping me didn’t want to hit me,' Washington recalled. 'I said, ‘Come on, do it.’' He also noted Matthew Broderick's struggle during the scene, where Broderick's character orders the whipping. 'My focus stayed on Matthew, and I even remember him putting his head [down], I said, ‘Don’t put your head down,’' Washington shared.

Washington won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in 'Glory.' In his acceptance speech, he honored the 54th regiment, stating, 'the black soldiers who helped to make this country free.' He later won a second Oscar in 2002 for his role in 'Training Day.' Washington also discussed the scene in a 1989 New York Times profile, noting, 'Whipping, it’s a very basic nightmare in American history, but it was tougher on the others than it was for me. They realized that this is the way it was. It sickened them. The guy who was doing the whipping eased up on me – I had to tell him, ‘Look like you’re really doing it!’'

In 2016, Zwick revealed the advice he gave Finn when whipping Washington with a felt whip: 'Just don’t stop.' The scene has had a lasting impact, inspiring characters in other films, such as Michael B. Jordan's role in 'Black Panther.'

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