Denzel Washington transformed The Tonight Show stage into a Shakespearean theater on Monday night.
When Washington stopped by the show during his press tour for Fences the movie he stars in alongside Viola Davis, Jimmy Fallon asked the actor to take part in his ongoing project called “Greeting Card Monologues,” where actors offer dramatic interpretations of the text inside Hallmark cards.
The Academy Award-winning actor was up for the challenge, donning his reading glasses, showcasing his British accent, even bursting into song on occasion. Using the impressive skill set that let a solitary tear run down his cheek in Glory, Washington was able to recite lines from a dog-themed birthday card with a straight face: “Another birthday, and you look happier, sexier and in better shape than ever…b-tch.”
Washington’s interpretation of the cards was so moving that Fallon wasn’t the only one trying to hold back tears during the performance.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Melinda French Gates Is Going It Alone
- What to Do if You Can’t Afford Your Medications
- How to Buy Groceries Without Breaking the Bank
- Sienna Miller Is the Reason to Watch Horizon
- Why So Many Bitcoin Mining Companies Are Pivoting to AI
- The 15 Best Movies to Watch on a Plane
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com