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/I) (2004): $20,000,000
Training Day (2001): $12,000,000
The Hurricane (1999): $10,000,000
The Siege (1998/I) (1999): $12,000,000
Fallen (1998): $12,000,000
Courage Under Fire (1996): $10,000,000
Virtuosity (1995): $7,500,000

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#77). [1995] Son, Malcolm, was named in honor of Malcolm X. Attended Fordham University, receiving a B.A. in Journalism. 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. According to a 1995 Premiere magazine article, Denzel confronted director Quentin Tarantino when he visted the set of Crimson Tide (1995). 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". In the early 1980s, years before he portrayed Malcolm X in the Spike Lee film Malcolm X (1992), Washington portrayed Malcolm in the off-Broadway production of "When the Chickens Came Home to Roost", at the Henry Street Theatre in NYC. Named one of E!'s "top 20 entertainers of 2001." Met his wife Pauletta Washington in 1977 when both had small roles in the TV-movie Wilma (1977) (TV) (she was billed as Pauletta Pearson), the story of runner Wilma Rudolph. They wed five years later. Is a spokesperson for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, having been a member of the Boys Club once himself. Was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by People Magazine in 2002. Often works with director Edward Zwick. He and his family are members of the same church as actors Dwayne Winstead, Sy Richardson, Marvin Wright-Bey, and Fitz Houston. Tom Hanks said working with Washington on Philadelphia (1993) was like "going to film school". Hanks said he learned more about acting by watching Denzel than from anyone else. Cites star-athletes like Jim Brown and Gale Sayers as the role models of his youth. Has worn some kind of military uniform in at least six of his films. 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. Chosen as People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive [1996] 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 (1996) and Maj. Ben Marco in The Manchurian Candidate (2004). 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. Is the second of three children. Son John David Washington recently signed as a running back with the St. Louis Rams (May 2006). Has worked with both Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. Ridley directed him in American Gangster (2007). He has worked with Ridley's brother, Tony, on four films, which are: Crimson Tide (1995), Man on Fire (2004), Deja Vu (2006), and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009). He will work with Tony for the fifth time in the upcoming Unstoppable (2010/I). Claims his personal favorite performances are his works in Cry Freedom (1987), Glory (1989), Malcolm X (1992), and Training Day (2001). Turned down the role of Cinque in Amistad (1997). Good friends with actress Julia Roberts. At one point, was to star as Dr. Alex Cross in Kiss the Girls (1997), had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Son of Lennis Washington, a beautician and former Gospel singer. For Courage Under Fire, he trained at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin in California, where he qualified on the M1A1 tank and the 120mm gun, participated in battle games and listened to audiotapes of tank battles in Desert Storm. He spent months on the beat with Washington Post reporters to prepare for The Pelican Brief. December 2007 - According to Forbes, for each dollar he got paid, his movies averaged $10 of gross income. When Washington won the Best Actor Oscar for Training Day (2001), Halle Berry won the Best Actress Oscar for Monster's Ball (2001), and Sidney Poitier won the Honorary award (2001), 2002 marked the first time in Academy Awards history that 3 African-Americans so dominated the Oscar ceremonies. [2002] Named Gene Hackman, Angelina Jolie, and Dakota Fanning as the most talented actors he has ever worked with. The offer he regrets turning down the most is Brad Pitt's role in Se7en (1995). Was considered for the part of Det. Ricardo Tubbs on "Miami Vice" (1984). Attended the star-studded opening of Dubai's lavish Atlantis Palms resort. Guests were welcomed in style with a display of one million fireworks, said to be visible from space. [November 11, 2008] Brother-in-law of actress Rita Pearson. Was in consideration for the part of Curtis Taylor Jr in Dreamgirls (2006). However Jamie Foxx was cast instead. Turned down the role that went to George Clooney in Michael Clayton (2007).