LYNN — Ronald Waxman never expected to see a movie star on his morning walk along Lynn Shore Drive.
But that’s exactly what happened to the headhunter who owns a waterfront condominium next door to where Denzel Washington was filming his latest movie.
“I saw him coming out of an SUV in the building parking lot and I said ‘Hi, Mr. Washington, how are you?’ He waved and said ‘Hi,’ and in an instant two Massachusetts State troopers told me to put my camera away and escorted me out of there.”
Washington is in town to make a sequel to “The Equalizer.” The 62-year-old star, who enrolled at Fordham University to become a newsman only to choose acting after appearing in several student productions, will be in town until Thursday.
On Tuesday morning, Washington was behind the wheel of a black Ford Taurus in the curved driveway at 300 Lynn Shore Drive as the crew set up the lights and tried to shield the actors from a driving rain and wind.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the director behind Washington’s Oscar-winning role in 2001’s “Training Day,” the film is based on the 1980s TV series of the same name about a former covert operative turned guardian angel for helpless victims.
The original movie follows Robert McCall, played by Washington, who has tried to put his mysterious past behind him and start a new, quiet life. But when he meets a young girl under the control of Russian gangsters, he has to help her.
“It’s very violent,” said Waxman. “But I loved it.”
A spokeswoman for “Equalizer 2” won’t reveal the movie’s plot or provide any other details of the movie that is expected to be released next fall. The film also stars Bill Pullman and Melissa Leo, according to IMDb.
Nancy Quinlan, visiting her sister who lives in Saugus, was walking along the shore to see the waves and came across the movie set.
“I saw Denzel in the car they were filming,” she said. “It was so exciting. We tried to check it out, but everyone was so secretive. I guess we’ll have to wait until the movie comes out next year.”
