The 28th of December, 1954 found Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. made his debut into the world in Mount Vernon, New York. His mother, Lennis, is a beautician from Georgia, and his father, Denzel Washington, Sr., is a Pentecostal pastor from Virginia. He is the middle child of three children raised by his mother and father. With the intention of pursuing a career in journalism, Denzel enrolled at Fordham University immediately following his graduation from high school. On the other hand, he became interested in performing while participating in school drama performances. After completing his education, he relocated to San Francisco and enrolled in the American Conservatory Theater. After only one year, he decided to leave A.C.T. in order to pursue a career in acting. The summer stock theater stage show that he participated in in St. Mary’s City, Maryland, was the first time he got paid for his acting role. “Wings of the Morning” was the title of the play, and it tells the story of the establishment of the colony of Maryland, which is now the state of Maryland, as well as the early days of the Maryland colonial assembly, which is a legislative body. Despite the fact that a significant portion of the discourse was fabricated, he performed the role of Mathias Da Sousa, a significant historical figure. Subsequently, he started being serious about his pursuit of cinema opportunities. It was not difficult for him to obtain employment in a variety of television programs due to the fact that he has multiple acting skills and a commanding presence.

The New York Times will honor him as the finest actor of the 21st century in the year 2020. He is well-known for his dramatic roles on both the stage and the movie. A number of awards and honors have been bestowed upon him, such as two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award. Additionally, he has been nominated for two Emmy Awards and a Grammy Award. In 2016, Washington was presented with the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and in 2019, he was presented with the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award. In 2022, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In the beginning of his career in theater, Washington began his study at the American Conservatory Theater and began appearing in productions that were not on Broadway. His first major roles were in the NBC medical drama series St. Elsewhere (1982–1988) and the war film A Soldier’s Story (1984). Both of these roles brought him to widespread attention. It was for his performance as an American Civil military soldier in the military drama Glory (1989) that he was awarded the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Additionally, he was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as a corrupt police officer in the thriller Training Day (2001). He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performances in the films Cry Freedom (1987), Malcolm X (1992), The Hurricane (1999), Flight (2012), Fences (2016), Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017), and The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021).

Awards

Won 2 Oscar & Best Performance by a Male Actor Nominee 2025 (Gladiator II) / Golden Globes