Isaiah Washington launches a GoFundMe for a million-dollar movie project after tweeting that he's retiring from acting
Maria Noyen
Mar 4, 2023, 10:57 AM
640352e137125e0018a1174e
Isaiah Washington at the Bruin theater in Westwood, California on October 3, 2022. MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images
Isaiah Washington announced his decision to retire from acting via Twitter on Tuesday.
The former "Grey's Anatomy" star, who was fired from the show in 2007, wrote the "haters" won.
But since then, he's launched a GoFundMe to crowdfund a million-dollar independent movie project.
Isaiah Washington, the former "Grey's Anatomy" star whose exit from the show was mired in controversy, could be taking a U-turn from his retirement from acting after launching a GoFundMe to crowdfund a million-dollar movie project.
On Tuesday, Washington tweeted that he'd decided to step back from the entertainment industry.
"It is with a heavy heart and a sense of relief that I am announcing my early retirement from the entertainment industry," Washington, 59, wrote. "It seems that the haters, provocateurs and the Useful Idiots have won
Washington added that he planned to spend his retirement traveling the US before "it falls into Socialism and then Communism." It is unclear whether Washington was referring to a specific incident. Representatives for Washington did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Washington concluded his tweet by saying the 2022 film "Corsicana" will likely be his last and that he may post pictures from his "retirement shenanigans here and there."
However, he appears to have had a change of heart since then.
On Thursday, Washington launched a GoFundMe, asking people to donate toward his $1 million independent movie project.
"After seeing the incredible positive response to my recent announcement of retirement from the entertainment industry on social media, it became clear that I have been operating outside of the traditional Hollywood system successfully for the last 15 year's," Washington wrote.
He said if five million people donate $1, he will have "more than enough capital" to fund a film about Bass Reeves, who was one of the first deputy US marshals of African descent, according to Britannica. Washington added that he would play the titular character.
"I'm asking for an initial 1 million dollars in support and my ultimate goal is 5 million. I have never asked for help or financial support like this in my life or career," he wrote.
6403595a37125e0018a1178d
Isaiah Washington in "Grey's Anatomy." ABC
As of Saturday, Washington has raised nearly $9,700, a far stretch from his initial goal of $1 million.
Washington is best known for playing Dr. Preston Burke on "Grey's Anatomy." He was a series regular for the first three seasons of the show and returned to guest-star in a single episode in season 10.
As Insider previously reported, Washington ended up being fired from "Grey's Anatomy" in 2007 after he reportedly used a homophobic slur to refer to his costar T.R. Knight.
www.insider.com
Maria Noyen
Mar 4, 2023, 10:57 AM
640352e137125e0018a1174e
Isaiah Washington at the Bruin theater in Westwood, California on October 3, 2022. MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images
Isaiah Washington announced his decision to retire from acting via Twitter on Tuesday.
The former "Grey's Anatomy" star, who was fired from the show in 2007, wrote the "haters" won.
But since then, he's launched a GoFundMe to crowdfund a million-dollar independent movie project.
Isaiah Washington, the former "Grey's Anatomy" star whose exit from the show was mired in controversy, could be taking a U-turn from his retirement from acting after launching a GoFundMe to crowdfund a million-dollar movie project.
On Tuesday, Washington tweeted that he'd decided to step back from the entertainment industry.
"It is with a heavy heart and a sense of relief that I am announcing my early retirement from the entertainment industry," Washington, 59, wrote. "It seems that the haters, provocateurs and the Useful Idiots have won
Washington added that he planned to spend his retirement traveling the US before "it falls into Socialism and then Communism." It is unclear whether Washington was referring to a specific incident. Representatives for Washington did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Washington concluded his tweet by saying the 2022 film "Corsicana" will likely be his last and that he may post pictures from his "retirement shenanigans here and there."
However, he appears to have had a change of heart since then.
On Thursday, Washington launched a GoFundMe, asking people to donate toward his $1 million independent movie project.
"After seeing the incredible positive response to my recent announcement of retirement from the entertainment industry on social media, it became clear that I have been operating outside of the traditional Hollywood system successfully for the last 15 year's," Washington wrote.
He said if five million people donate $1, he will have "more than enough capital" to fund a film about Bass Reeves, who was one of the first deputy US marshals of African descent, according to Britannica. Washington added that he would play the titular character.
"I'm asking for an initial 1 million dollars in support and my ultimate goal is 5 million. I have never asked for help or financial support like this in my life or career," he wrote.
6403595a37125e0018a1178d
Isaiah Washington in "Grey's Anatomy." ABC
As of Saturday, Washington has raised nearly $9,700, a far stretch from his initial goal of $1 million.
Washington is best known for playing Dr. Preston Burke on "Grey's Anatomy." He was a series regular for the first three seasons of the show and returned to guest-star in a single episode in season 10.
As Insider previously reported, Washington ended up being fired from "Grey's Anatomy" in 2007 after he reportedly used a homophobic slur to refer to his costar T.R. Knight.
Isaiah Washington launches a GoFundMe for a million-dollar movie project after tweeting that he's retiring from acting
"The haters, provocateurs and the Useful Idiots have won," Isaiah Washington wrote in his initial retirement announcement on Tuesday.
www.insider.com
