Denzel Washington

Biography:

Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. was born on December 28, 1954, in Mount Vernon, New York. His mother, Lennis “Lynne,” operated a beauty parlor and hailed from Georgia, having spent part of her upbringing in Harlem, New York. His father, Denzel Hayes Washington Sr., was born in Buckingham County, Virginia, and worked as both an ordained Pentecostal minister and an employee at the New York City Water Department, also holding a position at a local S. Klein department store.

Washington attended Pennington-Grimes Elementary School in Mount Vernon until 1968. Following his parents’ divorce when he was 14, his mother enrolled him in the Oakland Military Academy, a private preparatory school in New Windsor, New York. Reflecting on this pivotal decision, Washington remarked that it altered the course of his life, as it steered him away from a potentially troubled path. After Oakland, he briefly attended Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Florida, from 1970 to 1971.

Initially drawn to Texas Tech University due to his fondness for the Red Raiders, Washington ultimately pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama and Journalism from Fordham University in 1977. During his time at Fordham, he also played collegiate basketball under coach P. J. Carlesimo. It was during this period, while working at a summer camp in Connecticut, that a colleague encouraged him to explore acting after witnessing his talent in a staff talent show.

Upon returning to Fordham with a newfound focus, Washington shifted his studies to acting and later attended graduate school at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California. He ultimately embarked on a professional acting career after his time in San Francisco.

Washington’s screen acting debut came in the 1977 television film “Wilma,” followed by his Hollywood debut in the 1981 film “Carbon Copy.” He gained recognition for his role in the Off-Broadway production “A Soldier’s Play,” earning a Distinguished Ensemble Performance Obie Award in 1982. A significant breakthrough came with his portrayal of Dr. Phillip Chandler in NBC’s television series “St. Elsewhere” from 1982 to 1988.

Throughout the 1980s, Washington appeared in various television, film, and stage productions, including “A Soldier’s Story” (1984), “Hard Lessons” (1986), and “Power” (1986). His portrayal of South African activist Stephen Biko in “Cry Freedom” (1987) earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

In 1989, Washington won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Glory.” That same year, he also starred in “The Mighty Quinn” and “For Queen and Country,” further solidifying his status as a prominent actor in Hollywood.

During the 57th Golden Globe Awards in 2000, Washington clinched the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his role in The Hurricane, marking the first win for a black actor in the category since Sidney Poitier’s victory in 1963. Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle praised Washington’s portrayal, describing it as a deeply immersive depiction of a man grappling with confinement, physical deprivation, and intense emotional turmoil. The same year, he portrayed Herman Boone, the high school football coach in the Disney sports drama Remember the Titans, which surpassed $100 million in domestic box office earnings. Andrew O’Hehir of Salon lauded Washington’s commanding performance, likening it to his acclaimed work in The Hurricane.

In 2001, Washington took on the role of Detective Alonzo Harris, a corrupt Los Angeles cop, in the Antoine Fuqua directed crime thriller Training Day, opposite Ethan Hawke. Roger Ebert commended his portrayal, noting it as a departure from his usual likable characters, describing him as akin to a formidable horror film antagonist. Washington’s performance earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor, making him the second African-American actor to win the prestigious award after Poitier. He also received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.

In 2002, Washington starred in the healthcare-themed drama John Q., directed by Nick Cassavettes, where he played John Quincy Archibald alongside James Woods, Robert Duvall, and Ray Liotta. Although the film achieved financial success, critical reception was mixed, with praise directed at Washington’s intense and humane performance. That same year, Washington made his directorial debut with Antwone Fisher, a well-received drama in which he also co-starred as a Navy psychiatrist. Stephen Holden of The New York Times commended Washington’s confident direction and sensitive portrayal, noting his ability to authentically inhabit his character’s experiences.

Washington returned to Broadway in 2010, taking on the role of Troy Maxson opposite Viola Davis in the revival of August Wilson’s Fences. Ben Brantley of The New York Times praised Washington’s performance, noting his natural ease on stage and his ability to convey complex emotions through facial expressions and body language. This portrayal earned Washington the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in June 2010. During the same year, he starred in The Book of Eli, a post-apocalyptic action-drama, and portrayed a veteran railroad engineer in the action film Unstoppable, marking his fifth collaboration with director Tony Scott.

In 2012, Washington received critical acclaim for his role as an alcoholic airline pilot in Flight, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He also appeared in Safe House alongside Ryan Reynolds, where he underwent intense preparation for his role. The following year, he starred in 2 Guns alongside Mark Wahlberg. From April to June 2014, Washington took the leading role in the Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun, garnering positive reviews and contributing to the play’s win for Best Revival of a Play at the Tony Awards. In the same year, he starred in The Equalizer, an action thriller film, and its subsequent sequels, The Equalizer 2 in 2018 and The Equalizer 3 in 2023.

In 2016, Washington starred in The Magnificent Seven, a remake of the classic western film, portraying the character Sam Chisolm. This marked his first foray into the Western genre, with Washington bringing his own interpretation to the role. Additionally, he directed the film adaptation of Fences, receiving acclaim for his work both behind and in front of the camera. His performance in Fences earned him nominations for various awards, including a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Academy Award.

The following year, Washington starred in the legal drama Roman J. Israel, Esq., showcasing his versatility as an actor and earning him another round of award nominations. He then returned to Broadway in 2018, portraying Theodore “Hickey” Hickman in the revival of Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh, receiving praise for his charismatic performance and ability to delve into the character’s complexities.

In 2020, he served as a producer for the Netflix adaptation of August Wilson’s play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, featuring Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis, and directed by George C. Wolfe. The film received positive reviews. The subsequent year, he took on the role of Deputy Sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon in the crime thriller The Little Things, co-starring Rami Malek and Jared Leto. Released during the Covid-19 pandemic, the film debuted in theaters and on HBO Max. Also in 2021, Washington portrayed the lead character in the film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, earning widespread acclaim for his performance and garnering nominations for major awards including the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award.

During the same year, Washington ventured into directing with the drama A Journal for Jordan, based on Dana Canedy’s memoir. It received a wide theatrical release on December 25, 2021, but garnered mixed reviews from critics. In 2023, Washington joined the cast of Ridley Scott’s historical drama Gladiator 2, a sequel to the 2000 film Gladiator. Additionally, he served as a producer for The Piano Lesson, Netflix’s adaptation of another August Wilson play, starring John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, and Samuel L. Jackson.

In 2024, Washington is slated to collaborate with Spike Lee again on the police procedural drama film High and Low, a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film of the same name. The project will be a joint venture between A24 and Apple TV+ and will feature Jeffrey Wright and Ilfenesh Hader in addition to Washington. Also in 2024, it was announced that Washington will return to Broadway to star in a revival of William Shakespeare’s Othello, portraying the titular role opposite Jake Gyllenhaal as Iago. The production, set to commence in spring 2025, will be directed by Kenny Leon, who previously directed Washington in the 2014 Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun.