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    Denzel Washington

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    Denzel Washington is perhaps one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors at present. He is not just an actor, but a producer/director as well. In short, Denzel Washington is a versatile man with a passion for telling stories and being a part of them.

    Over the course of his stellar career, Washington has been awarded numerous awards, such as three Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards. Not just that, he has also been a part of the Live Broadway scene and awarded the Tony Award once.

    Movies with Denzel Washington have been both critical and commercial successes. Many of his movies have become blockbusters at the worldwide box office. Over the course of time, Washington has turned out to be one of the most popular faces in Hollywood. In 2016, he was awarded the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award during the 73rd Golden Globe Awards ceremony. It pretty much sums up Denzel’s value to the film industry.

    Washington made his debut as a director in 2002 with ‘Antwone Fisher’, which was a biographical movie. In 2007, he returned as a director in ‘The Great Debaters’. ‘Fences’(2016), a movie directed by him, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. It showed the divides within the society based on racism.

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    Much like ‘Fences’, many other Denzel Washington movies deal with social issues and differences between humans based on cast, creed and race. Denzel has tasted success in almost everything that he has done in life. He has also received an honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011.

    Denzel Washington’s Personal Details

    Full NameDenzel Hayes Washington, Jr.
    NicknameD, Jr.
    Date of Birth28 December 1954
    BirthplaceMount Vernon, New York, U.S
    Age62 Years
    Zodiac signCapricorn
    ProfessionActor, Film-maker
    Heightin Feet Inches- 6’1″
    Weightin Kilograms- 90 kg
    Body MeasurementsNot Known
    Eye ColorDark Brown
    Hair ColorDark Brown
    HobbiesBasketball

    Denzel Washington’s Family Details

    FamilyFather- Denzel Hayes Washington, Sr.(Pentecostal minister)
    Mother- S. Klein.(Beauty parlor owner and operator)
    Marital StatusMarried
    Wife/spousePauletta Pearson (m. 1983)
    ChildrenSon John David (Former football player, United Football League’s Sacramento Mountain Lions)
    Daughter Katia (B.A. from Yale University)
    Daughter Olivia (Actor)
    Son Malcolm (Film Studies, University of Pennsylvania)
    NationalityAmerican
    HometownMount Vernon (Till 1968)
    New Windsor, New York.
    ReligionDevout Christian. Considered Preaching.
    EthnicityAfrican-American
    AddressDenzel Washington
    Rogers & Cowan
    Pacific Design Center
    8687 Melrose Avenue
    7th Floor
    Los Angeles, CA 90069
    USA

    Denzel Washington’s Personal Life, Marriage and Relationships

    Denzel Washington married Pauletta Pearson, an actress she met on the sets of ‘Wilma’. Denzel Washington’s children from his marriage with Pauletta are David (1984), Katia (1986), and twins Malcolm and Olivia (1991). Denzel Washington’s marriage was renewed in South Africa. Also, the renewed marriage vows were officiated by Desmond Tutu. 

    Denzel Washington’s Affairs

    AffairsThere were rumors and pictures being leaked by radar.com, showing him kissing an unidentfied blonde woman.

    Denzel Washington’s Education Details

    SchoolPennington-Grimes Elementary School, Mount Vernon.
    Oakland Military Academy, New Windsor, New York.
    Mainland High School, Daytona Beach, Florida.
    CollegeFordham University, New York City, New York.
    Educational QualificationsB.A. (1977)

    Denzel Washington’s Early Life

    Denzel Hayes Washington was born in New York (Mount Vernon) on 28th December 1954. Denzel Washington’s parents were both working-class individuals. His mother ran a beauty parlor while his father worked for the NYCWD (New York City Water Department). 

    Denzel Washington was enrolled in Pennington Grimes Elementary School, where he studied till 1968. At 14, his parents underwent divorce proceedings and he believes that this incident ended up changing his life. He was sent to Oakland Military Academy, which is one of the most prestigious educational institutions in New York. After his stint at Oakland, he later moved to Mainland High School in Florida (1970-1971). 

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    As a youngster, he always wanted to attend Texas Tech University because they were called ‘Red Raiders’. He, too, was in a Boys Club during his days in Mount Vernon that was called ‘Red Raiders’. Therefore, he always wanted to join Texas Tech in Lubbock. 

    Instead, he joined Fordham University to earn a BA in Journalism and Drama. He participated in many basketball tournaments at Fordham and was trained by Peter John Carlesimo, a prominent figure in the world of professional basketball. During this time, Washington also worked at a summer camp in Camp Sloane YMCA in Lakeville. He was part of a staff talent show during his time at the camp, and it is here that a colleague suggested him to pursue a career in movies. 

    He joined the Lincoln Centre campus to learn acting, and also enrolled himself in the American Conservatory Theatre, a prominent theatre institution in San Francisco. He stayed and studied there for a year before moving back to New York.

    Denzel Washington’s Beliefs and Interests

    Washington is a Christian, and wanted to turn to preaching in 1999. He has said this during an interview. He also donated US$2.5 million to build a church in Los Angeles (LA). Also, he said that he has this habit of reading the Holy Bible on a daily basis.

    He has also been associated with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America since 1993 and has participated in many philanthropic activities for their benefit. In 1995, he donated US$1 million to Nelson Mandela’s Children Fund. Also, he made a substantial contribution to the Fisher House Foundation, a charitable organization that looks after retired and wounded military veterans. 

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    He landed in the middle of a controversy when a rumor emerged that he spoke against president Barack Obama and supported Donald Trump. Washington said he was voting for Trump as he believed Obama’s approach and agenda to be ‘anti-Christian’ in many ways. However, this news was ultimately found to be fake. 

    Denzel Washington’s Early Acting Career

    In 1976, he wrote a play titled ‘Wings of the Morning’. The play was written by him while he was in St. Mary’s City. A summer stock theatre gave him an opportunity to write a play and star in it, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He incorporated various ‘African-American’ elements in the play, and the narrator’s character was based on Mathias De Sousa, a prominent figure from colonial Maryland. 

    Denzel Washington’s acting career (on screen) began when he was cast in ‘Wilma’, a television movie. However, his first Hollywood film appearance came in 1982 with ‘Carbon Copy’. Moreover, Washington’s first major acting breakthrough came when he was asked to play Dr. Phillip Chandler in ‘St. Elsewhere’. The show was produced and developed by NBC and Denzel was one of the few black actors to star in all seasons of the show. This show ran from 1982-1988 and turned Washington into a popular face on American television. 

    Denzel Washington’s Oscar nomination came for the first time in 1987. He starred in ‘Cry Freedom’, a movie in which he starred as Steven Biko, a popular figure during the Anti-Apartheid era. The movie was directed by Richard Attenborough and ended up launching Denzel Washington as the next big thing in Hollywood.

    Rise as a Star

    Denzel Washington’s movies began doing well at the American box office during the 1990s.

    After starring in Mo’ Better Blues, a directorial venture by Spike Lee, he starred in ‘Mississippi Masala’ in 1991. However, it was his lead role in ‘Malcolm X’ that turned him into a star. Washington had collaborated with Spike Lee to play the role of a black nationalist leader in the movie. The movie, along with Washington’s performance, was appreciated by one and all.

    Over time, Washington began starring in movies dealing with social issues. Take this for an example: he starred alongside Tom Hanks as a black lawyer in ‘Philadelphia’ (1990). The movie is believed to have triggered a change in the way people with AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are viewed by the society. 

    In 1999, Denzel Washington’s movie, named ‘Hurricane’, based on the life and struggles of Rubin ‘Hurricane Carter, was released. Washington received an Academy Award nomination for his role in the film. Denzel Washington Academy Award success has come through two movies Training Day (Best Actor) and Glory (Best Supporting Actor).

    Over the course of his acting career, Washington has starred in numerous movies dealing with the lives of prominent real-life figures.

    Denzel Washington’s As a Director

    Denzel Washington’s directorial debut came in 2002, when he directed ‘Antwone Fisher’, a biographical movie based on the life of Antwone Fisher, a famous American writer, director and author. Washington starred in the movie alongside Derek Luke, who was chosen for the role of Antwone. Denzel himself played the role of a psychiatrist named Jerome Davenport. The real-life Antwone Fisher was given screenwriting credits in the movie. Apart from Antwone Fisher, Washington has also directed ‘The Great Debaters’ (2007) and ‘Fences’ (2016).

    Denzel Washington’s Revenue

    Denzel Washington’s net worth is estimated at US$ 250 million, thanks in part to his film salary and production/directorial ventures. The large paychecks received by him have turned him into one of the biggest Hollywood stars of the 21st century. Denzel owns a mansion in Beverly Hills which is valued at US$14.6 million. Also, it is said that he paid for late actor Chadwick Boseman to study at Oxford for the summer theatre program. 

    Net Worth$250 million

    Denzel Washington’s Assets

    CarsChrysler 330
    Bentley Continental
    Lamborghini
    Range Rover
    He has a collection of Vintage cars as well.

    Denzel Washington Awards

    Oscars – Best Actor In A Supporting Role1990Glory
    Oscars – Best Actor In A Leading Role2002Training Day
    Golden Globe Awards – Cecil B. deMille Award2016

    Denzel Washington Trivia

    Denzel Washington seldom uses a stunt double in his films except for the film Unstoppable (2010).


    Denzel Washington used a stunt double in the film Unstoppable, owing to his phobia of heights.


    Denzel Washington discovered his passion for acting when he dropped out of school for one semester.


    The Equalizer 2 marks the first sequel of both actor Denzel Washington as well as director Antoine Fuqua.


    Denzel Washington, Bill Pullman and Melissa Leo are the only actors from The Equalizer (2014) to appear in the sequel, The Equalizer 2 (2018).


    Denzel Washington is the second black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2001, after Sidney Poitier who won it in 1963.


    Denzel Washington is the first Hollywood actor of African origin to have won two Academy Awards; he won the awards for his roles in Glory and Training Day.


    While preparing for his role in Courage Under Fire (1996), Denzel Washington went to the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California, where he became a qualified M1A1 tank operator.


    In 1995, Denzil Washington donated 1 million US dollars to the Nelson Mandela Children Fund and 1 million US dollars to Wiley College to help resuscitate the college`s debate team.


    In 2011, Denzil Washington donated 2 million US dollars to the Fordham University`s theater department as well as donated 2.5 million US dollars to establish a theater-specific scholarship at the school.


    Denzel Washington has been active in philanthropic works long before he became a movie star. He served as the national spokesperson for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and has appeared in a plethora of awareness campaigns conducted by the organization. Owing to his philanthropic works with the organization, an elementary school in New York named PS 17X decided to name the school after Washington.


    In 2004, during his visit to the Fisher House facility Denzel Washington made a significant donation to help the facility expand their campus to accommodate more people.

    Denzel Washington’s Personal Quotes

    You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too. That’s a part of it.


    I say, “luck is when an opportunity comes along and you’re prepared for it.”


    Acting is just a way of making a living, the family is life.


    You don’t know when you’re being watched. That’s one of the weird things about celebrity. It’s my least favorite part of acting celebrity.


    I’m very proud to be black, but black is not all I am. That’s my cultural-historical background, my genetic makeup, but it’s not all of who I am nor is it the basis from which I answer every question.


    I say luck is when an opportunity comes along and you’re prepared for it.


    If you have an enemy, then learn and know your enemy, don’t just be mad at him or her.


    My mother never gave up on me. I messed up in school so much they were sending me home, but my mother sent me right back.


    If I am a cup maker, I’m interested in making the best cup I possibly can. My effort goes into that cup, not what people think about it.


    I never really had the classic struggle. I had faith.


    Man gives you the award but God gives you the reward.


    It’s simple: You get a part. You play a part. You play it well. You do your work and you go home. And what is wonderful about movies is that once they’re done, they belong to the people. Once you make it, it’s what they see. That’s where my head is at.
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