Audiences worldwide know Denzel Washington because of his Oscar-worthy performances in Malcolm X, A Soldier’s Story, Fences and more. But the Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient actually got his roots on stage, which he explained was another reason why you can’t call him a “Hollywood actor:”

Denzel Washington opened up about preferring to be called a theater artist rather than a Hollywood actor. The Gladiator II star made an appearance on CBS Sunday Mornings, where he recited a few definitions of an actor and claimed that he does not qualify in the category.