The Unscripted 'Training Day' Moment Director Antoine Fuqua Says Made the Film a Classic

Hollywood director Antoine Fuqua is known for his blockbuster films, including a major upcoming role helming the Michael Jackson biopic. While doing press for that film, he's also peeling back the layers on some of his cinema classics. how he knew the 2001 Oscar-nominated film, Training Day, with iconic actor Denzel Washington would be a legendary film. And it came down to two key moments, including one that was unscripted.

Two Moments That Stuck Out for Antoine Fuqua

“Humbly, I had two moments in that movie that I felt this was going to be successful,” Fuqua said recently on The Rich Eisen Show. 

In the film's opening car scene, director Fuqua highlighted the interaction between Washington's character, Alonzo Harris, and Ethan Hawke's character, Jake Hoyt. It was during this moment that Washington delivered one of the movie's most memorable lines: "chess, not checkers."

“He had just killed Roger, and I thought if Denzel (which I knew he could because he’s a great actor), could seduce us back into this car, this movie’s out of here,” Fuqua explained. “And he did. And then they put Ethan in the bathtub.”

The second moment for Fuqua came during the apex of the movie, where Washington was outnumbered and decided to lash out at Hoyt for turning his back on him. Washington went off script and called himself “King Kong,” which became the most recognizable scene in the film.

“When he did that, gang members came up to me telling me, ‘Aw dude, this is a hit,’” Fuqua recalled. “Those two moments for me stand out.”

Fuqua, who has collaborated with the two-time Oscar winner on numerous films, including The Equalizer movie franchise, said the "King Kong moment" was largely improvised.

“He was just in a zone,” he said. “People talk about AI (Artificial Intelligence). Those are the moments where you go, it’s a great tool. It’s going to be a great tool I think at some point. But the emotion and the moment that an actor can bring? You can’t predict that. That’s just something that’s inside of Denzel, and when that came out, I was just like, ‘I hope I got it!’”

Antoine Fuqua Is Directing the Upcoming Michael Jackson Biopic

Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic directed by Fuqua, is set to be released in theaters on April 24.

“The film tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world,” the film synopsis says. 

“Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before.”

Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson's nephew, has been cast to portray the King of Pop in the film. The cast also features Colman Domingo as Joseph Jackson and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson.

To celebrate the upcoming release, Netflix is now streaming Jackson’s first movie, The Wiz, starring Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Lena Horne, and Richard Pryor. The Wiz is a remake of the 1939 classic musical The Wizard of Oz.