Denzel Washington

After studying at Fordham University, Denzel Washington began his acting career in the late 1970s with TV roles, eventually making his big-screen debut in Carbon Copy (1981). Washington gained widespread recognition with his Oscar-nominated performance in Cry Freedom (1987), which led to a string of critically acclaimed roles.Over the years, Washington’s career has spanned a range of genres, from action films like Training Day (2001), which won him an Academy Award for Best Actor, to intense dramas like Fences (2016), which also earned him Oscar recognition as both a lead actor and director. Other notable films include Glory (1989), for which he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, as well as Remember the Titans (2000), American Gangster (2007) and Gladiator II (2024).

In addition to his acting, Washington has directed and produced films, including Antwone Fisher (2002) and The Great Debaters (2007).

After finding success, Washington also championed many up-and-coming black actors while they studied at Howard University, paying scholarships for actors including Susan Kelechi Watson (This Is Us) and the late Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) to study abroad in England.

Washington has been married to Pauletta Pearson since 1983, and the couple has four children, all of whom are following in their parents footsteps: John David Washington (born July 1984), Katia Washington (born November 1987) and twins Olivia and Malcolm Washington (born April 1991). The family worked together on the 2024 film The Piano Lesson, which was directed by Malcolm, produced by Denzel and Katia and starred John David with Olivia and Pauletta in supporting roles.