Denzel Washington, a two-time Academy Award winner, is widely regarded as one of the best performers of our time. Washington has consistently proved his abilities for over 30 years, whether as Malcom X in 1992, Alonzo Harris in 2001’s Training Day, or Troy Maxson in 2016’s Fences. Aside from his acting abilities, Washington’s appearance makes it oh so easy to watch him in whatever film he chooses to star in. In 1996, People magazine dubbed Washington the “Sexiest Man Alive.” Unfortunately for fans, Washington is married and has been for over 35 years, so the only ladies who get to snuggle up next to him are his on-screen counterparts… with the exception of Julia Roberts.

Denzel and Roberts teamed up decades ago to produce one of the most well-known political dramas of all time.

People were ecstatic when it was reported that they would collaborate on The Pelican Brief since both of them had been killing it in their own careers at the time. Despite their roles and the apparent connection they had on screen, they never kissed in the film.

The romance sequences between Washington and Roberts’ characters may or may not have been filmed, but they sure did not make the final edit of the film.

Many people assumed Roberts was uncomfortable with it, although she subsequently denied it (via Newsweek).

Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington together during The 74th Annual Academy Awards in 2002 in Hollywood, California, United States | Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

Roberts told Newsweek in 2002, “I have taken so much s**t over the years over not kissing Denzel in that film. Don’t I have a pulse? Of course I wanted to kiss Denzel. It was his idea to take the damn scenes out.”

Washington was apparently concerned about how an interracial kiss would be regarded by audiences. According to Newsweek, he had previously experienced backlash from Black women after a test screening of 1989’s The Mighty Quinn, which included a love scene between him and Mimi Rogers, and opted not to conform to Hollywood’s beauty stereotypes.

In order to avoid upsetting his Black female fans, the actor avoided kissing Julia Roberts in their picture “The Pelican Brief.” He said, “Black women are not often seen as objects of desire on film. They have always been my core audience.”

There are two other movies in which Washington is said to have had interracial love scenes removed. The first was in the 1995 sci-fi film “Virtuosity,” featuring Kelly Lynch. According to Lynch, Washington had a different reason in this instance. According to Lynch’s account in the Washington Post, Washington allegedly told her, “You know what, Kelly? I hate to say it, but, you know, white men bring women to movies, and they don’t want to watch a Black man with their woman.”

In 2004, accusations circulated that Washington was behind the omission of a love scene in the film Man on Fire between him and Australian actress Radha Mitchell. Washington was once again apprehensive about the audience’s response to an interracial relationship, according to TODAY.

Turning a fresh leaf, Washington’s publicist denied the claims, claiming that the actor did not request edits and that a decade-old myth that he was responsible for the deleted sequences with Julia Roberts in The Pelican Brief was likewise inaccurate, contradicting what Roberts herself had claimed.

Washington has lately filmed love scenes with non-Black women, which were included in the final edit of the film. Washington had love scenes with Puerto Rican actress Nadine Velazquez and white actress Kelly Reilly in the 2012 film “Flight.”