Denzel Washington shocked fans after lashing out at an overzealous pH๏τographer while attending the premiere of his movie Highest 2 Lowest at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.

The Oscar-winning actor, 70, was seen pointing his finger in the face of one of the snappers during the dramatic exchange.

And now expert lip reader Jeremy Freeman exclusively tells the DailyMail.com that the Malcolm X star appears to have been set off by a pH๏τographer tapping him on the arm.  

As Denzel turns to the pH๏τographer he appears to shout: ‘Hey, one — one more time, stop.

‘Let me tell you — stop, stop — never put your hands on me again,’ he appears to shout at the pH๏τographer, who had a bizarre grin plastered on his face throughout the exchange. 

‘I’m talking to you, stop, all right,’ he continued. 

Denzel Washington lashed out at an overzealous pH๏τographer while attending the red carpet premiere of his movie Highest 2 Lowest at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday 

Expert lip reader Jeremy Freeman exclusively tells the DailyMail.com that the Malcolm X star appears to have been set off by a pH๏τographer tapping him on the arm 

According to Freeman, the pH๏τographer replies to Denzel by saying: ‘Not allowed,’ before laughing and adding, ‘Yes, yes, yes.’  

Despite the actor’s emphatic words and body language, the pH๏τographer can be seen grabbing at Denzel again in the clip, and he has the gall to ask, ‘Can I take a picture?’

Washington, who appears completely fed up at that point, shouts back: ‘Stop, stop it, stop it. I mean it. Stop, stop it.’

Read MoreBREAKING NEWS Denzel Washington EXPLODES at pH๏τographer in wild Cannes exchange

Despite the intensity of his words, many of the pH๏τographers surrounding Washington — including the one he was yelling at — were smiling, suggesting that they may not have realized how upset he was.

However, the actor has a long history of tense interactions with pH๏τographers over the years. 

DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Washington for additional comment. 

Before calling out the pH๏τographer, Denzel had been standing on the red carpet with his Highest 2 Lowest costar, the rapper-turned-actor A$AP Rocky, 36.

Despite his spat, Washington was in great spirits when he was later surprised with an honorary Palme d’Or award by director Spike Lee.

According to the lip reader, Denzel yelled: ‘Let me tell you — stop, stop — never put your hands on me again’. The pH๏τographer appears to reply to Denzel by saying: ‘Not allowed,’ before laughing and adding, ‘Yes, yes, yes’ 

Cannes changed some of its scheduling to accommodate Washington’s trip, which came amid his lone off-day while performing Othello in New York. 

Handing the award over to Washington, Spike said: ‘This is my brother, right here.’

‘This is a total surprise for me!’ the actor replied. 

Read More Denzel Washington surprised with honorary Palme d’Or award at Cannes Film Festival

The actor, who posed for pH๏τos with Spike and A$AP Rocky, showed no signs of jet lag and was expected to fly back to New York immediately after the screening.

When the festival first announced its lineup last month, Highest 2 Lowest wasn’t included. 

But within hours, however, Spike himself announced the film was heading to Cannes and representatives for the festival said they had been waiting for confirmation that Denzel would attend the red carpet. 

Highest 2 Lowest, is a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low, and will be released in theaters by A24 August 22 before streaming on Apple TV+ September 5.

The tirade comes seven months after Washington was filmed exploding at autograph hunters  in New York City in October 2024.

Washington was all smiles before the shock encounter  

The Oscar-winning actor snapped at fans as he arrived at the Museum of Modern Art for a film benefit honoring Samuel L. Jackson – with the tense exchange captured in a dramatic video.

The Man on Fire star was seen arriving at the museum and posing with a fan – while autograph hunters called his name to the side.

Read MoreBREAKING NEWS Denzel Washington lashes out at autograph hunters in dramatic video

A visibly annoyed Washington went to walk inside but then turned and addressed a fan in the crowd. 

While the entire exchange cannot be deciphered, the actor was seen pointing his finger and heard saying: ‘I heard you. You talk about showing love…’

‘…Respecting me’ to which the fan said ‘we already do.’ 

Washington retorted: ‘I said I’ll see you when I get out, which part of that don’t y’all understand?

‘It’s about showing love’ – before raising his voice and declaring ‘or not, or not! we can do it another way… or not, we can do it both ways!’

He then walked inside the building after the shock incident. 

Later Washington was surprised with an honorary Palme d’Or award at the Film Festival (pictured right with Spike Lee, left)

And in 2021 Washington was pictured having an intense moment with a fan.

The movie star was by his car when the fan walked over to him with a sack of pH๏τos for him to sign in New York City.

The pair engaged in an intense conversation with the actor looking like he was given the fan some pearls of wisdom.

He placed his hands on his shoulder and looked deep in his eyes, looking like he was forgetting to keep socially distanced for a second.

While Denzel had his mask on, the fan had his pulled down to his chin for the moment as the Hollywood star placed his hands around his face.

An onlooker claimed he told the fan to ‘say a prayer’ but it is not known what they were talking about.