Biography of Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington is the second Oscar-winning African-American in Hollywood, who became famous after his role as Steve Biko in the historical-biographical drama Cry Freedom directed by Richard Attenborough. Producer of the acclaimed films “The Great Leveler”, “The Book of Eli” and other films. As a film director, he created three full-length films, the latest work in this field being the drama “Fences.” A loving husband and father of many children.
Pictured: Denzel Washington
Childhood: Mouth Vernon
The second boy, born into the family of a priest from Mount Vernon on New Year's Eve 1955, was named, like his father, Denzel. Denzel Hayes Washington Sr., as soon as he took the baby in his arms, mentally decided that he, like him, was born to later become a minister of the church.
Denzel Washington in childhood and now
But his wife, Lennis Lowe, had a different opinion about the child's future. Being a highly sought-after businesswoman who owned her own beauty salon, her mother often took Denzel to her work, where he would play while the woman did her work, and when he became a student at Pennington Grimes Elementary School, he would come running after school to help her.
In an interview, Washington recounted how during one of these visits, one of the elderly clients did not take her eyes off him. Then she wrote on a piece of paper that Denzel had a great future ahead of him, millions of people would listen to him. They said about this woman in the city that she had the gift of foresight, and the boy kept the piece of paper with the prophecy.
Denzel Washington in school years
When another boy appeared in the family, the father began to insist that the middle son visit his church more often than his mother’s salon. The couple began to quarrel frequently. For fourteen-year-old Denzel, the divorce of his parents was a painful blow, but the path of a priest did not seem to him the only possible one in life. Mom transferred her son to the Oakland Military Academy, where he completed his school education.
Youth: New York - San Francisco
In the early seventies of the 20th century, Fordham University in New York (of which Donald Trump was once a graduate) added student Denzel Washington. The young man chose medical specialization, but soon decided to become a journalist and transferred to a specialized faculty, which he successfully graduated in 1977.
Denzel Washington in his youth
In addition to studying at the university, Denzel was involved in sports, and thanks to his participation in many student theater productions, he soon became a popular and budding amateur actor. His role in Shakespeare's Othello turned out to be especially striking.
Having won a scholarship to study, Washington went to San Francisco, where he attended classes at the American Conservatory for a year. It was here that fate gave him his first chance - the role of young Robert Eldridge in the biographical sports drama "Wilma". Denzel finally feels in his element, he leaves the conservatory and works as an actor on stage and film sets. “Wilma” gives Washington another very important gift: he meets Pauletta Pearson, his future wife.
Start of a career path
And although Denzel began living in New York in 1977, his career began only 20 years later.
In 1997, he got a role in the film about sports “Wilma”. The film from Denzel Washington's filmography did not receive commercial success, but it was fatal for Washington. While working, he meets his soulmate and opens up to the eyes of producers in the film industry.
The list of films starring Denzel Washington is starting to grow rapidly. Works added to it:
- 1981 plays the role of the main character in “Exact Copy”.
- Embodying a minor character in A Soldier's Story (1984)
- 1986 - played A. Billing in the film “Power”.
- The main character of the film “Cry of Freedom”, S. Biko, was performed by Washington in 1987.
- A year later, the film “For Queen and Country” was released, in which Denzel participated.
This type of list is incomplete in Denzel Washington's filmography. In addition to these films, the actor appeared in the TV series “St. Elsewhere,” the filming of which lasted about 6 years. It is this project that opens him up to the American audience and leads to the popularity of Washington.
Career: two Roberts, two Oscars
The name Robert is iconic for Denzel. This was the name of both his first film hero and the hero of The Great Equalizer, between which Washington managed to star in more than fifty films. Jud Taylor's drama Flesh and Blood, with a small role as boxer Kirk, drew a line under the seventies.
Denzel Washington at the beginning of his acting career
The eighties became a real breakthrough in Washington’s acting career. A six-year marathon in the medical series “St. Elsewhere” was interspersed with leading roles in a big movie. Denzel is Roger from the comedy “Diamond” and Arnold Billing from the drama “Power”, in which Richard Gere played the main role.
Denzel Washington in the movie "Diamond"
This was followed by the television drama “The George McKenna Story”, where the actor got the main role of a teacher, the action movie “For Queen and Country” with the story of the paratrooper James, and the historical and biographical drama “Cry of Freedom”, in which Washington plays the leader of the movement for the national identity of Africans. The result of this work was the first Oscar nomination.
Still from the film “Cry of Freedom”
Denzel played the leading roles in the thriller “The Mighty Quinn,” the comedy-fantasy drama “State of the Heart,” and the military biographical film “Valor.” His private Trip in this film brought Washington his first Oscar statuette and recognition of Denzel as Best Supporting Actor by the Academy.
Denzel Washington at the Oscars
Successful and in demand, in the early nineties he captivated director Spike Lee, who cast the actor in the melodramatic film “Better Life Blues” and then in the biographical drama “Malcolm X.” It was Spike who helped Denzel discover his talent for impersonation and gave him the opportunity to demonstrate the versatility of acting in the future (the sports drama “His Game” paired with Milla Jovovich).
Still from the film “Better Life Blues”
The role of John Hobbs from the mystical thriller “Fallen,” where Washington worked with Donald Sutherland and John Goodman, is another confirmation of the actor’s multifaceted role, as is the paralyzed detective Lincoln Rhyme from the crime thriller “The Reign of Fear.” Denzel's partner in the film was Angelina Jolie, whom he called one of the most talented actresses he had ever met.
Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie
Such films with the actor’s participation as “Philadelphia” with Tom Hanks, “The Siege”, which also starred Bruce Willis, and “Training Day” with Ethan Hawke, enjoyed undoubted commercial success. In the latter, Denzel received his second Oscar for the leading role of the negative hero Alonzo Harris, and his first Golden Globe for his role as Rubin Carter in The Hurricane.
Denzel Washington at the Golden Globe Awards
In the 2000s, Washington tried his hand at directing, filming “The Story of Antoine Fisher,” “The Great Debaters” and “Fences.” Starring with Jodie Foster in the film "No Caught, No Thief", with Eva Mendes in the action film "Out of Time", with Dakota Fanning in the drama "Wrath", with Meryl Streep in the fantasy thriller "The Manchurian Candidate", with Russell Crowe in the biographical drama "Gangster". “Gangster” - trailer The role of teacher Melvin Tolson in his own melodrama “The Great Debaters” brought Washington a well-deserved Golden Globe, already the second in his collection of cinematic awards. Denzel starred with John Travolta in the action film The Dangerous Passengers of Train 123, with Gary Oldman in The Book of Eli, with Ryan Reynolds in Access Code Cape Town, with Kelly Reilly in Crew, with Mark Wahlberg in 2 Smoking Barrels. . “Cape Town Access Code” - trailer 2014 and 2020 in the actor’s life are closely connected with the role of former CIA agent Robert McCall, who administers his own justice on the streets of the city. “The Great Equalizer” was so successful that director Antoine Fuqua decided to make a sequel, which Washington gladly agreed to. After reading the script, Denzel exclaimed: “Wow! This is a completely different world!” One got the feeling that this was a completely new picture, although with the same hero - an equalizer of good and evil in his own way.
Awards and nominations[5]
- 2000 - Discovery Prize at the Toronto Film Festival.
- 2000 - Southeastern Media
at the Atlanta Film Festival. - 2000 - participation in the competition among debutant directors at the Chicago Film Festival.
- 2000 - 3 prizes at the Newport Film Festival: best dramatic film (David Gordon Green), best director (David Gordon Green), best actor (entire ensemble).
- 2000 - prize for best cinematography (Tim Orr) at the Stockholm Film Festival.
- 2000 - participation in the competition at the Thessaloniki Film Festival.
- 2000 - prize for best film at the Turin Youth Film Festival.
- 2001 - 4 nominations for the Independent Spirit Award: best film (David Gordon Green, Sacha Muller, Lisa Muscat), best first screenplay (David Gordon Green), best cinematography (Tim Orr), best debut role (entire ensemble cast) .
Personal life of Denzel Washington
Acquaintance with Pauletta Pearson on the set of “Wilma” grew into a five-year romance, which resulted in a wedding in 1982. The first-born David was born in 1985, three years later his wife gave Denzel a daughter, who was named Katya in Russian. The Washingtons became the happy parents of twins Malcolm and Olivia in 1991.
Denzel Washington with his wife Pauletta
For everything he has achieved in life, the actor thanks God every day by reading the Bible. On the eve of the millennium, Denzel even seriously thought about becoming a preacher, but his confessor noticed that many more people heard Washington in his place, and the man put this idea aside, donating two and a half million dollars for the construction of the Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles.
Denzel Washington with family
Denzel Washington now
On December 28, 2020, Denzel Washington celebrated his personal sixty-fourth New Year with family and friends. He and his wife Pauletta are regulars at matches of their favorite basketball team, the Lakers.
Denzel Washington and his wife at a basketball game
In January 2020, the Washington family attended the Golden Globes ceremony. The reason for this was the nomination of David's eldest son for Best Actor in Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman. And although the debutant did not win the prestigious award, his father believes that his creative potential will yet be fully revealed.
The heyday of an actor's career
By the end of the 90s. new films starring Denzel Washington have appeared. In 1989, he was invited to play the role of Trip in the war film “Glory”. This project was awarded the most prestigious awards, including the Oscars . In 1990, he played trumpeter Blik in “Blues about a Better Life.” The same year, he participated in “State of the Heart” from his filmography, which tells the story of a racist law enforcement officer who is given the heart of a black man.
In 1991 - 93 films with the actor in the title role are being released, which have added to his filmography. So, with a difference of a year, he starred in “Mississippi Masala” and “Ricochet”. "Malcolm X." The cinematic biography also contains work on the film “Philadelphia” in 1993, which will bring popularity to Denzel. In 1995, he was invited to play the role of military man Ron in the film “Crimson Tide.” A year later, he appeared in the image of the angel Dudley in the film “Fallen,” and in 1998 he played with M. Jovovich in “His Game.”
