Tall, strikingly handsome leading man of films and television in the 1980s and 1990s, Denzel Washington was born in 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York. He was the middle child of the 3 children of a Pentecostal minister father and a beautician mother. After graduating from high school, Denzel enrolled at Fordham University intent on a career in journalism. However, he caught the acting bug while appearing in student drama productions and upon graduation he moved to San Francisco and enrolled at the American Conservatory Theater. He left A.C.T. after only 1 year to seek work as an actor. With his acting versatility and powerful sexual presence, he had no difficulty finding work in numerous television productions. He made his first big screen appearance in Carbon Copy with George Segal. Through the 1980s he worked in both movies and television and was chosen for the plum role of Dr. Chandler in NBC's hit medical series St. Elsewhere, a role that he would play for 6 years. In 1989 he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Tripp, the runaway slave in Edward Zwick's powerful historical masterpiece Glory.

Through the 1990s Denzel co-starred in such big budget productions as The Pelican Brief; Philadelphia; Crimson Tide; The Preacher's Wife; and Courage Under Fire - a role for which he was paid $10 million. He lives quietly in Los Angeles with his wife Pauletta and their 4 children. Cerebral and meticulous in his film work, he made his debut as a director in 2002 with Antwone Fisher.
American Gangster (2007): $20,000,000
Man on Fire (2004): 20,000,000
Out of Time (2003): $20,000,000
Training Day (2001): $12,000,000
The Hurricane (1999): $10,000,000
Courage Under Fire (1996): $10,000,000
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#77). [1995] Children: John David (b. July 28, 1984), Katia (b. 1987), and twins Malcolm and Olivia (b. 1991). Son, Malcolm, was named in honor of Malcolm X. To prepare for his role as boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter in The Hurricane, Washington worked out for a year with L.A. boxing trainer Terry Claybon. Attended Fordham University, receiving a B.A. in Journalism. 1996 Harvard Foundation Award In a Newsweek cover story about the biological basis of the perception of beauty, he was used as a key example in a scientific explanation why he is considered an extremely handsome man. Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world [1990] According to a 1995 Premiere magazine article, Denzel confronted director Quentin Tarantino when he visted the set of Crimson Tide. Quentin had done an uncredited rewrite of the script. Denzel lambasted Tarantino about his use of racial slurs in his films. Tarantino got embarrassed and wanted to move the conversation to a more private area. Denzel said, "No, if were going to discuss it, let's discuss it now." Denzel later said he still felt that Quentin was "a fine artist". Denzel is named after his father who was in turn named after the doctor, Doctor Denzel, who had delivered him. In the early 1980s, years before he portrayed Malcolm X in the Spike Lee film Malcolm X, Washington portrayed Malcolm in the off-Broadway production of "When the Chickens Came Home to Roost", at the Henry Street Theatre in NYC. Frequent collaborator of Spike Lee. Named one of E!'s "top 20 entertainers of 2001." Supports charities such as the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, and the Gathering Place (an AIDS hospice). Met his wife Pauletta Washington in 1977 when both had small roles in the TV-movie Wilma (she was billed as Pauletta Pearson), the story of runner Wilma Rudolph. They wed five years later. His father was a Pentecostal minister; his mother a beautician and former gospel singer. They divorced when he was 14. Is a spokesperson for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, having been a member of the Boys Club once himself. Only the second actor of color (after Sidney Poitier) to win the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (for Training Day). Poitier received the honorary Academy Award that same year. Was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by People Magazine in 2002. Father of actor John David Washington Ranked #28 in Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List. Had ranked #40 in 2002. Often works with director Edward Zwick. Cousin is CBS anchorman Ukee Washington. He and his family are members of the same church as actors Dwayne Winstead, Sy Richardson, Marvin Wright-Bey, and Fitz Houston. Was awarded the title of "Police Chief for a Day" when he was a member of The Boys and Girls Club of America as a child. The photo was shown during his latest appearance on Live with Regis. Tom Hanks said working with Washington on Philadelphia was like "going to film school". Hanks said he learned more about acting by watching Denzel than from anyone else. When he was very young he was at a barber's shop with his mother and a nice old lady sitting in the corner asked his mother to write his full name down. When his mother asked why she said "Because he's going to entertain millions one day". His mother gave the old lady his name and it wasn't until later that they found out she was rumored to be some kind of local fortune teller. Cites star-athletes like Jim Brown and Gale Sayers as the role models of his youth. First studied Biology in hopes of becoming a doctor, then switched to Political Science then to a Journalism/Drama major in college. Has worn some kind of military uniform in at least six of his films. Ranked #59 on VH1's 100 Hottest Hotties Because of his pay-or-play deal on the doomed 2005 "American Gangster" project (which was to be directed by Antoine Fuqua), he was paid $20 million even though the film did not move ahead. Premiere Magazine ranked him as #39 on a list of the Greatest Movie Stars of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature (2005). Chosen as People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive [1996] First African-American actor to receive two Academy Awards Has played two soldiers who have suffered traumatic, life-changing experiences while fighting in the 1991 Persian Gulf War: Lt. Col. Nathaniel Serling in Courage Under Fire and Maj. Ben Marco in The Manchurian Candidate. Though his first theatrical film was a comedy (Carbon Copy), he has only done three more since. Has mentioned that he's always wanted to do a great one. He and his family visited the troops at Brook Army Medical Center, in San Antonio, Texas (BAMC). There are some buildings there called Fisher Houses. The Fisher House is a Hotel where soldiers' families can stay, for little or no charge, while their soldier is staying in the Hospital. BAMC has quite a few of these houses on base, but as you can imagine, they are almost filled most of the time. He was given a tour of one of the Fisher Houses and subsequent to his visit sent them one of the largest donations they've ever received. His performance as Malcolm X in Malcolm X is ranked #17 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006). Is the second of three children. As of 2006, he is the most Oscar-winning (two) and most nominated (five) black actor/actress in Academy history. Son John David Washington recently signed as a running back with the St. Louis Rams (May 2006). Has two films on the American Film Institute's 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time. They are: Glory at #31 and Philadelphia at #20. Has worked with both Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. Ridley will direct him in the upcoming American Gangster. He has worked with Ridley's brother, Tony, on three films, which are: Crimson Tide, Man on Fire, and Deja Vu. Turned down Se7en. He opted to do another detective thriller that year, Devil in a Blue Dress. Claims his personal favorite performances are his works in Cry Freedom, Glory, Malcolm X, and Training Day. Turned down the role of Detective David Mills in Se7en. Turned down the role of Cinque in Amistad. His daughter, Katia Washington, currently attends Yale University. Good friends with actress Julia Roberts. Cited as America's Favorite Movie Star by a Harris Poll conducted in 2006, in which he starred in Inside Man and Deja Vu. At one point, was to star as Dr. Alex Cross in Kiss the Girls, had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. He was presented with the honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia on May 20, 2007.