(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Denzel Washington says actors should never go into a movie thinking they could win an Oscar.

The 55-year-old Hollywood star has received two Academy Awards, one for Best Supporting Actor for his role in 1989 film Glory, and one for Best Actor following an exceptional performance in 2001 smash hit Training Day.

Denzel is thrilled to have been honoured in such a prestigious way, although he claims it would be wrong for him to enter every movie he makes thinking hes going to win a prize. The modest star says he has always been flabbergasted to receive awards such as Oscars as he doesnt even let the thought of winning enter his mind.

"Awards, and to be recognised, are great. But I never made a film to win an Oscar. Lord knows, I didn't think I was going to win one for Training Day. But you can't go into it that way, he warned.

Denzel says rather than going onto a film set with a big ego, he always arrives on new movies planning to work his hardest and give the best possible performance. The talented actor says the same rule should apply to all careers, and compared actors expecting Academy Awards to writers hoping to receive The Pulitzer Prize, which is a US award for achievements in journalism, literature and musical composition, for every piece they write.

That's like, every time I write, this is going to be my Pulitzer Prize-winning article. You don't know. You try to do good work and see what happens," he explained. (C) Cover Media