Denzel Washington shocked fans after lashing out at an overzealous photographer 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 DailyMail.com that the Malcolm X star appears to have been set off by a photographer tapping him on the arm.  

As Washington turns to the photographer, he appears to shout: 'Hey, one — one more time, stop.

'Let me tell you — stop, stop — never put your hands on me again,' he seems to tell the photographer, who had a 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 photographer 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 DailyMail.com that the Malcolm X star appears to have been set off by a photographer tapping him on the arm 

According to Freeman, the photographer replies to Washington by saying: 'Not allowed', before laughing and adding, 'Yes, yes, yes.'  

Despite the actor's emphatic words and body language, the photographer can be seen grabbing at Washington again in the clip, and had the temerity 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.'

Many of the photographers surrounding Washington — including the one he was yelling at — were smiling, suggesting that they might not have realized how upset he was.

However, the actor has a long history of tense interactions with photographers. 

DailyMail.com has contacted Washington's representatives for comment. 

Before calling out the photographer, he had been standing on the red carpet with his Highest 2 Lowest co-star, 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 presented by director Spike Lee.

According to the lip reader, Washington yelled: 'Let me tell you — stop, stop — never put your hands on me again.' The photographer appears to reply 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 on Broadway in New York. 

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

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

Washington, who posed for photos with Lee 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 announced its lineup last month, Highest 2 Lowest wasn't included. 

Within hours, however, Lee himself said that the film was heading to Cannes. Representatives for the festival clarified that they had been waiting for confirmation that Washington 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 on August 22 before streaming on Apple TV+ on 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 tense 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 from the side.

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 saying: 'I heard you. You talk about showing love...

'...Respecting me' to which the fan replied: '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,' he added before raising his voice and declaring: 'Or not, or not! We can do it another way... or not, we can do it both ways!'

Later Washington was surprised with an honorary Palme d'Or award at the Film Festival presented by director Spike Lee, left

In 2021, Washington was pictured having another fractious moment with a fan.

The movie star was standing by his car when the admirer walked over with a sack of photos for him to sign in New York City.

The pair engaged in an intense conversation, with the actor looking as though he was giving the fan some pearls of wisdom.

Washington placed his hands on the man's shoulder and looked deep into his eyes, momentarily forgetting social distancing.

While the actor had his mask on, the fan's was pulled down to his chin for the encounter as the Hollywood star then placed his hands around his face.

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