DENZEL WASHINGTON GQ'S OCTOBER 2012 "BIG FALL STYLE PLAYBOOK" ISSUE COVER

Thirty years after he introduced himself as Dr. Philip Chandler on St. Elsewhere, Denzel Washington still remains a very public mystery. He's one of films most dominant leading men - with starring roles in films as disparate as Philadelphia, Remember The Titans, and the upcoming Flight - but he has largely evaded the spotlight outside of the studio. In GQ's October issue, Michael Hainey sat down with the star to talk to him about his personal life, his feelings on Mitt Romney, his long career as an actor (including what roles he regrets turning down), and more. on newsstands nationwide September 25

Denzel Washington on staying out of the public eye: "Sidney Poitier told me this years ago: 'If they see you for free all week, they won't pay to see you on the weekend, because they feel like they've seen you. If you walk by the magazine section in the supermarket and they've known you all their life, there's no mystery. They can't take the ride.' My professional work is being a better actor. I don't know how to be a celebrity."

...on Mitt Romney: "When I see him, he's always uncomfortable. You can see that uncomfortableness. Forget about his being Mormon. He hasn't said anything about his faith."

...on roles he regrets turning down: "Seven and Michael Clayton. With Clayton, it was the best material I had read in a long time, but I was nervous about a first-time director, and I was wrong. It happens."

...on his daughter working with Tarantino after his feud with the director on what he called racist dialogue in Crimson Tide: "Isn't that interesting how life goes? But I buried that hatchet. I sought him out ten years ago. I told him, 'Look, I apologize.' You've just gotta let that go. You gonna walk around with that the rest of your life? He seemed relieved. And then here we are ten years later, and my daughter's working with him. Life is something."

...on Whitney Houston: "Whitney was my girl, and she had done so well in recovery. And that is the toughest part about addiction. ...That was a monster drug that got ahold of her, it was a mean one. You can't go back to that one. Nobody beats that. I look at people--and I don't think I'm speaking out of line--Sam Jackson, I've known for thirty-some-odd years, he was down at the bottom. And he came all the way back. And when he cleaned up, he never looked back. But he can't have that beer, because it might lead to the tough thing."

For the full interview and photo shoot, please visit GQ