Birth name Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. NationalityUSA Birth 28 december 1954 (69 years) at Mount Vernon (USA) Awards Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award for Best Actor
Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received two Golden Globe awards, a Tony Award, and two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for the historical drama-war film Glory (1989) and Best Actor for his role as a corrupt cop in the crime thriller Training Day (2001).
Washington has received much critical acclaim for his film work since the 1990s, including his portrayals of real-life figures such as South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko in Cry Freedom (1987), Muslim minister and human rights activist Malcolm X in Malcolm X (1992), boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter in The Hurricane (1999), football coach Herman Boone in Remember the Titans (2000), poet and educator Melvin B. Tolson in The Great Debaters (2007), and drug kingpin Frank Lucas in American Gangster (2007). He has been a featured actor in the films produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and has been a frequent collaborator of directors Spike Lee and the late Tony Scott.
Biography
On June 25, 1983, Washington married Pauletta Pearson, whom he met on the set of his first screen work, the television film Wilma. The couple have four children: John David (b. July 28, 1984), a former football player with the United Football League's Sacramento Mountain Lions (and before that, college football at Morehouse); Katia (b. November 27, 1986) who graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in 2010; and twins Olivia and Malcolm (b. April 10, 1991). Malcolm graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in film studies, and Olivia played a role in Lee Daniels's film The Butler. In 1995, Denzel and Pauletta renewed their wedding vows in South Africa with Archbishop Desmond Tutu officiating.
Washington is a devout Christian, and has considered becoming a preacher. He stated in 1999, "A part of me still says, 'Maybe, Denzel, you're supposed to preach. Maybe you're still compromising.' I've had an opportunity to play great men and, through their words, to preach. I take what talent I've been given seriously, and I want to use it for good." In 1995, he donated $2.5 million to help build the new West Angeles Church of God in Christ facility in Los Angeles. Washington says he reads the Bible daily.
Washington has served as the national spokesperson for Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 1993 and has appeared in public service announcements and awareness campaigns for the organization. In addition, he has served as a board member for Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 1995.
In mid-2004, Washington visited Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) at Fort Sam Houston, where he participated in a Purple Heart ceremony, presenting medals to three Army soldiers recovering from wounds they received while stationed in Iraq. He also visited the fort's Fisher House facilities, and after learning that it had exceeded its capacity, made a substantial donation to the Fisher House Foundation. Washington's other charitable contributions include $1 million to the Children's Fund of South Africa and $1 million to Wiley College to resuscitate the college's debate team.
Washington is an Independent voter. He supported Barack Obama in 2008.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia named Washington as one of three people (the others being directors Oliver Stone and Michael Moore) with whom they were willing to negotiate for the release of three defense contractors the group had held captive from 2003 to 2008.
On May 18, 1991, Washington was awarded an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Fordham University, for having "impressively succeeded in exploring the edge of his multifaceted talent". In 2011, he donated $2 million to Fordham for an endowed chair of the theater department, as well as $250,000 to establish a theater-specific scholarship at the school. He also received an honorary doctorate of humanities from Morehouse College on May 20, 2007. and an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania on May 16, 2011.
In 2008, Washington visited Israel with a delegation of African-American artists in honor of the state's 60th birthday.
In April 2014, Washington presented at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Easter Bonnet Competition with Bryan Cranston, Idina Menzel and Fran Drescher, after raising donations at his Broadway show Raisin in the Sun.
, 1h46 Directed byBrett Leonard GenresScience fiction, Thriller, Action, Crime ThemesFilms about computing, Transport films, Films about automobiles, Political films, Road movies, Cyberpunk films, Dystopian films, Chase films ActorsDenzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Kelly Lynch, Stephen Pinella, William Forsythe, Louise Fletcher Roles Lt. Parker Barnes Rating55% In Los Angeles, Lt. Parker Barnes and John Donovan are tracking down a serial killer named SID 6.7 at a restaurant in virtual reality. SID (short for Sadistic, Intelligent, Dangerous - a VR amalgam of the most violent serial killers throughout history) puts Donovan into shock, killing him. The director overseeing the project, before Commissioner Elizabeth Deane and her associate, William Wallace, order the programmer in charge of creating SID, Dr. Darrel Lindenmeyer, to shut down the project. Barnes is a former police officer imprisoned for killing political terrorist Matthew Grimes, who killed Parker's wife and daughter and innocent bystanders. This caused Barnes to become a convicted killer and serve 17 years to life.
, 1h51 Directed byKenneth Branagh OriginUnited-kingdom GenresDrama, Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance ThemesSeafaring films, Théâtre, Transport films, Films based on plays, Films based on works by William Shakespeare ActorsMichael Keaton, Kenneth Branagh, Robert Sean Leonard, Keanu Reeves, Emma Thompson, Kate Beckinsale Roles Don Pedro of Aragon Rating72% Don Pedro of Aragon (Denzel Washington) and his noblemen are visiting their good friend Leonato (Richard Briers) in Messina after having crushed an uprising led by Don John (Keanu Reeves), the prince's bastard half-brother. With him is the misogynistic and witty Benedick (Kenneth Branagh), erstwhile flame of Leonato's equally sharp-tongued and somewhat fierce niece, Beatrice (Emma Thompson). Beatrice and Benedick are both stubborn and proud. Also present are Benedick's "sworn brother" Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), a young count; and Don John who, despite his attempt at rebellion, has apparently reconciled with his brother. Claudio has been thinking fondly of Leonato's gentle and lovely daughter Hero (Kate Beckinsale) since before he went to war, and returns to find her as attractive as ever. Don Pedro, learning of his young friend's feelings, decides to act on his behalf and arranges the match at a party. An unrepentant and ill-intentioned Don John attempts to foil it, but unsuccessfully: the match is made. Needing something to pass the time until the wedding day, Don Pedro decides to arrange a similar fate for Beatrice and Benedick. Of course, with each party being such a “professed tyrant” to the opposite sex, this match will take a little more ingenuity.
, 3h13 Directed bySpike Lee OriginUSA GenresDrama, Biography, Action, Historical ThemesAssassinat, Politique, Films about racism, Films about religion, Political films, Films about Islam ActorsDenzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman Jr., Delroy Lindo, Spike Lee Roles Malcolm X Rating76% Malcolm X divides the life of the African-American activist Malcolm X into three sections. The first section deals with the troubled childhood of Malcolm Little, whose father, a preacher, was murdered by the Black Legion and whose mother was institutionalized for insanity. Malcolm grows up and gets a job as a Pullman porter, calling himself Detroit Red. Getting involved with a Harlem gangster named West Indian Archie with whom he has a falling out, Malcolm flees to Boston and decides to become a burglar. He and his best friend, Shorty (played by Spike Lee) are arrested by the police and Malcolm is sentenced to a ten-year prison term. The second section follows Malcolm's life in prison, where a fellow inmate, Baines, introduces him to the teachings of the Nation of Islam.
, 1h58 Directed byMira Nair OriginUSA GenresDrama, Comedy-drama, Romance ThemesFilms set in Africa, Films about racism ActorsDenzel Washington, Roshan Seth, Sarita Choudhury, Sharmila Tagore, Charles Dutton, Joe Seneca Roles Demetrius Williams Rating66% The film begins in 1972 when Idi Amin expelled Asians from Uganda. This included Jay (Roshan Seth) his wife, Kinnu (Sharmila Tagore), and their daughter, Mina (Sarita Choudhury), a family of third-generation Ugandan Indians residing in Kampala. It then moves forward to 1990. After spending a few years in England, Jay, Kinnu, and Mina have relocated in 1987 to Greenwood, Mississippi to live with family members who own a chain of motels there.
, 2h2 Directed byEdward Zwick OriginUSA GenresDrama, War, Historical, Western ThemesFilms about slavery, Films about racism, Political films, United States Armed Forces in films ActorsMatthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher, Cliff De Young Roles Pvt. Trip Rating77% During the American Civil War, Captain Robert Shaw is injured in the Battle of Antietam and sent home to Boston on medical leave. He visits his family there, where he meets the abolitionist Frederick Douglass, a former slave. Shaw is offered a promotion to the rank of Colonel to command the first all-black regiment in the Union Army, the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. He accepts and asks his childhood friend, 2nd Lieutenant Cabot Forbes, to serve as his second in command, with the rank of major. Their first volunteer is another friend, Thomas Searles, a bookish free African American. Other recruits soon follow, including gravedigger John Rawlins, timid freeman Jupiter Sharts and Silas Trip, an escaped slave who does not trust Shaw. Trip instantly clashes with Searles and Rawlins must keep the peace.