Recently, a rumor gained traction online suggesting that Denzel Washington, the acclaimed American actor, producer, and director, engaged in a debate with Chief Justice John Roberts inside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. This claim first surfaced on the YouTube channel “Secret Stories”on May 4, 2025, stirring considerable intrigue.
“Judge John Roberts Tries To Embarrass Denzel Washington, Later Discovers Denzel’s Legal Brilliance!” was the eye-catching title of the viral video.
The video quickly captured public attention, amassing over 495,000 views within just three days, leading to widespread sharing across various social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Threads, and X.
The Revelation of a Hoax
However, this sensational claim has been debunked, as confirmed by Snopes, a credible fact-checking organization. Investigations did not uncover any evidence supporting an actual confrontation between Washington and Roberts in the Supreme Court. Moreover, major media outlets have not covered such an incident, and a search on Google yielded no real-life occurrences of this nature.
In a critical statement, Alan Nierob, Washington’s representative and chairman of the entertainment division at Rogers & Cowan/PMK, dismissed the rumor, asserting it was completely false.
“None of this is true,”Nierob emphasized in an email to Snopes.
This revelation firmly debunks the rumor surrounding Washington and Roberts.
Dissecting the Fiction in the Video
The “Secret Stories”video contained numerous inaccuracies regarding Denzel Washington. A notable falsity claimed that he possessed a law degree from Harvard University.
“Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts attempts to humiliate actor Denzel Washington during oral arguments, unaware that Washington secretly earned a law degree from Howard University,” the video’s description misleadingly stated.
The description further claimed, “When Roberts dismissively questions Washington’s legal understanding, the Hollywood legend responds with a masterful constitutional analysis of civil forfeiture laws, complete with obscure historical cases and founding documents.”
In truth, Denzel Washington does not hold a law degree; he earned his Bachelor of Arts in drama and journalism from Fordham University. Additionally, he honed his acting skills at the Lincoln Center in New York City and continued his education at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.
The video relied heavily on edited images of Washington and Roberts, failing to present any actual footage of a courtroom exchange.
Evidence of artificial intelligence was also noted in the 34-minute clip. Snopes pointed out that AI-detection tools, like Copyleaks, indicated that the scripted content was entirely generated by AI. Furthermore, the narrator’s inconsistent voice highlighted the use of AI technology for voice-over.
As emphasized in the video’s disclaimer, the entire Secret Stories channel is designed for fictional and satirical content, aiming for virality and entertainment value.
“These narratives are not intended to depict, reference, or represent any actual occurrences, persons, or entities,” the description clarified.
What’s Next for Denzel Washington?
Amidst this controversy, Denzel Washington is garnering attention for his upcoming film, titled Highest 2 Lowest, set to premiere in theaters on August 22, 2025, followed by a release on Apple TV+ on September 5, 2025.
In addition, the trailer for Spike Lee’s latest movie featuring A$AP Rocky was unveiled on May 5, which will debut at the Cannes Film Festival later this month.
In the realm of the judiciary, it should be noted that John Roberts recently faced legal challenges, with the America First Legal Foundation suing him for purportedly overstepping his authority as head of the U.S. Judicial Conference.
The organization accused Roberts and Robert J. Conrad, the Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. courts, of enabling regulatory actions conflicting with their established roles, as reported by Fox News. They have called on Roberts to comply with Freedom of Information Act requests from the Trump administration, demanding the release of necessary court records upon request.