Denzel Washington Thriller Climbs Netflix Top 10 List—But the Cast List Made Me Do a Double Take

Denzel Washington is climbing the Netflix charts (yet again), and the 2007 film has a surprising cast connection.

American Gangster (2007) became available to watch on the streaming service earlier this month, and it has held a spot on Netflix’s list of most-watched movies ever since. Although it previously held the seventh position , it has now moved up to the fifth spot. (It’s currently ranked behind The Garfield Movie, Jailbreak: Love on the Run, Rebel Ridge and Uglies .)

There are two likely reasons for American Gangster ’s newfound popularity. First, the movie is extremely captivating (because it’s based on a true story), and it highlights relatable themes (including police corruption, the realities of the drug trade and the pursuit of the American Dream). Washington portrays a drug lord who rises in power after smuggling shipments of heroin into the U.S. through soldiers who served in the Vietnam War.

And second, it features a star-studded cast list (Washington, Russell Crowe, Cuba Gooding Jr, Idris Elba, Josh Brolin and RZA) with a secret connection to Gladiator that made me do a double take. You see, both Washington and Crowe starred in American Gangster , which was directed by Ridley Scott. The director also helmed Gladiator starring Crowe, along with the upcoming Gladiator 2 film starring Washington. (Forget “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon”; more like “Six Degrees of Denzel.”)

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Cue “It’s a Small World.”

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