Why Denzel Washington Demanded His Character’s Death in ‘Training Day’ – And Won

Denzel Washington is no stranger to roles that end in his character’s demise. Unlike some actors who go out of their way to avoid dying onscreen, Washington has embraced dramatic endings, often to serve the story or to convey a deeper message. But one role in particular stands out for the deliberate choice he made to ensure his character met a grisly fate: the corrupt Detective Alonzo Harris in Training Day.

“The wages of sin are death,” Washington told Phase 9, recalling the first words he wrote on his script after reading David Ayer’s screenplay. From the start, he saw Harris as irredeemable—his corruption so deeply rooted that the character’s death was not only inevitable but necessary. The studio, however, had other plans. They initially wanted Alonzo to survive, leaving open the possibility of sequels or spin-offs, but Washington firmly declined. “I said I wouldn’t do it if that was the case,” he explained.

To Washington, Alonzo Harris’s death was not just a plot point—it was a moral reckoning. “I wanted him to die in the worst way,” he said. “That’s why I fell on the ground and crawled, because the image was to crawl like a snake.” His visceral performance cemented the character’s fall from power and made it clear that his treachery had consequences.

The decision paid off in more ways than one. Washington won his second Academy Award—and his first for Best Actor—for the role. The film’s powerful ending became one of its most talked-about moments, ensuring that Training Day would stand on its own rather than as the start of a potential franchise. Even as whispers of a prequel continue to circulate, Washington’s insistence on Alonzo Harris’s demise helped Training Day remain a self-contained, impactful narrative.

Over his career, Washington has been killed off in films ranging from Cry Freedom to The Tragedy of Macbeth. Yet his approach to Training Day stands out as a moment where the actor’s moral perspective and artistic vision overrode the studio’s franchise ambitions. By refusing to let Alonzo Harris escape justice, Washington elevated both the character and the story, proving once again that sometimes, the most dramatic exits leave the strongest legacy.