Casting the picture was an extraordinary task, for both the lead roles are extraordinary characters.

According to Bregman, "There are not many actors in their early forties that have the ability to play Lincoln Rhyme…I can count them on three fingers. We needed an actor, and hopefully a movie star, and were lucky enough to get both in Denzel Washington."

He continues, "It's been a joy to watch him work and prepare, and he's brought something to this film that I'm not sure any other actor could have brought, which is a sense of reality and a tremendous intelligence."

Washington was drawn to the role of Lincoln Rhyme, as he found it fascinating in its appeal on numerous levels.

"It's a great story, a tight script. It was a real fun read, a page turner," says Washington. "And it was also an opportunity to work with a wonderful filmmaker and legend in Marty Bregman."

"To play a person who is quadriplegic is a great challenge for any actor. An actor's body is his instrument, and to have 93 percent of that taken away, you have to sort of act with your soul. I mean, they say the eyes are the window to the soul," Washington says.

While Washington did extensive research before he began filming, actually playing the part of a quadriplegic taught him a great a deal.

He says, "I've played some challenging individuals and parts in my days, but this was the most unique challenge, certainly physically. I've never had my tools taken away from me, the ability to express and move and turn my head as much as I wanted or to run or walk or laugh from the stomach, not just from the chest up. I definitely appreciate and have a better understanding, to a degree, of what quadriplegics must go through."

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