An image shared on Instagram purportedly shows a Telegram post authored by actor Denzel Washington claiming Hollywood is “drenched in innocent children’s blood.”
Verdict: False
The statement has been misattributed to Washington. He does not own a Telegram account, according to his publicist.
Fact Check:
The image in the Sept. 22 Instagram post displays a message posted by a Telegram channel with the handle “@denzelwashingtonchannel.” The account has over 35,000 subscribers. (RELATED: Did Denzel Washington Say He’s Leaving The Democratic Party To Help ‘Team Trump’?)
“Hollywood is drenched in innocent children’s blood,” the post reads. “The references to pedophilia and cannibalism have always been there, but for years they cryptic or symbolic. I was introduced to these practices in the early 2000s and was threatened with serious repercussions should I ever speak out.”
The post’s claims may have been inspired by QAnon, a conspiracy theory group that believes the Democratic Party and Hollywood are overrun with satanic pedophiles who murder children, according to the Daily Beast.
In reality, Washington did not post this statement, and the “@denzelwashingtonchannel” Telegram account is not affiliated with him. While the channel’s description calls it “The Official Telegram Channel of Denzel Washington,” it is not verified and there is no evidence to suggest Washington actually runs the account.
“He doesn’t have an account and never made that statement,” Washington’s publicist told Check Your Fact via email.
There are no credible media reports about Washington making such a statement. He does not appear to have any verified social media accounts where he might do so.
Check Your Fact previously corrected similar false rumors, including one that alleged Washington posted a statement on Telegram expressing support for former President Donald Trump and another that claimed actor Mel Gibson said Hollywood “is an institutionalized pedophile ring.”