Biography
After winning Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars for his performance in the Civil War epic "Glory" (1989), Denzel Washington tackled one challenging role after another on his way to becoming one of the biggest stars in the world. Likened to Sidney Poitier for his ability to appeal to multiracial audiences, Washington's grounding presence was a major draw in historical dramas like "Cry Freedom" (1987), "Malcolm X" (1992), "Hurricane" (1999) …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
| Founded Mundy Lane Entertainment, named for the street on which he grew up | ||
| Opened Georgia, a restaurant in Los Angeles | ||
| Theatrical debut in Fordham University production of Eugene O'Neill's "The Emperor Jones" | ||
| While a camp counselor in Lakeville, CT, took his first turn onstage during a talent show | ||
| Worked in New York with New Federal Theater and Negro Ensemble Company | ||
1977 | TV-movie debut in "Wilma" (CBS), biography of Olympic runner Wilma Rudolph; future wife Pauletta Pearson also acted in telefilm | |
1979 | Acted in CBS miniseries "Flesh and Blood" | |
1979 | Appeared in New York Shakespeare Festival (NYSF) production of "Coriolanus" | |
1981 | Feature film debut in "Carbon Copy" | |
1981 | First time playing Malcolm Shabazz (aka Malcolm X) in New Federal Theater stage production of "When the Chicken Comes Home to Roost" | |
1981 | Originated role of PFC Melvin Peterson in Charles Fuller's Pulitzer-winning "A Soldier's Play" at the Negro Ensemble Theater | |
1982 | TV series debut as regular playing Dr Phillip Chandler on the NBC medical drama "St. Elsewhere" | |
1984 | Earned critical praise for reprising Peterson in Norman Jewison's film "A Soldier's Story"; adapted from Fuller's play | |
1986 | Selected by director Sidney Lumet for the role of a public relations executive in "Power"; part was originally written for a white man | |
1987 | Made Broadway debut in disastrous run of Ron Milner's "Checkmates" | |
1987 | Portrayed martyred South African leader Steven Biko in Richard Attenborogh's "Cry Freedom"; earning first Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe nomination | |
1988 | First time headlining a feature, the British film "For Queen and Country" | |
1989 | Earned Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his work as the defiant slave-turned-soldier in "Glory"; first film with director Edward Zwick | |
1989 | U.S. debut as feature lead, "The Mighty Quinn" | |
1990 | Initial collaboration with director Spike Lee, "Mo' Better Blues" playing jazz musician Bleek Gilliam | |
1991 | Essayed title role in NYSF production of "Richard III" | |
1992 | Excelled as a carpet salesman in the small art film "Mississippi Masala" | |
1992 | Played the Black Nationalist leader in "Malcolm X"; second film with Lee; garnered Best Actor Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations | |
1993 | Acted opposite Julia Roberts in "The Pelican Brief" | |
1993 | Displayed his Shakespearean chops as Don Pedro in Kenneth Brannagh's film adaptation of "Much Ado About Nothing" | |
1993 | Portrayed ambulance-chasing lawyer who, inspite of his own homophobia, agrees to represent an AIDS-stricken lawyer (Tom Hanks) who claims discrimination in his dismissal from a law firm in Jonathan Demme's "Philadelphia" | |
1995 | Executive produced the TV documentary "Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream" (TBS) | |
1995 | Headlined the adventure-thriller "Crimson Tide"; teamed him with Gene Hackman | |
1995 | Starred in Carl Franklin's film noir, "The Devil in a Blue Dress"; first feature produced under the auspices of his production company Mundy Lane | |
1996 | Acted opposite Whitney Houston in Penny Marshall's "The Preacher's Wife" | |
1996 | Re-teamed with Zwick for "Courage Under Fire" | |
1997 | Made directing debut with "In Harm's Way," a music video for the Winans | |
1998 | Re-teamed with Lee for "He Got Game" | |
1998 | Third film with Edward Zwick, "The Siege" | |
1999 | Delivered a convincing turn as a paralyzed NYC criminologist who helps solve the identity of a serial killer in "The Bone Collector" | |
1999 | Played former middleweight boxer Ruben 'Hurricane' Carter in Norman Jewison's "Hurricane"; received Best Actor Academy Award and SAG nominations | |
2000 | Starred in Boaz Yakin's "Remember the Titans"; film was based on the true story of a newly-integrated high school football team in the South going on to a state championship | |
2000 | Was one of the producers of the documentary "Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks" | |
2001 | Undertook villainous role as a cop on the take paired with a rookie (Ethan Hawke) in "Training Day"; received Best Actor Golden Globe and SAG nominations | |
2002 | Feature directorial debut, "The Antwone Fisher Story"; also co-starred | |
2002 | Starred in "John Q" as a man who confronts an HMO that withholds treatment from his ill child | |
2003 | Portrayed Chief Detective Matt Whitlock in the thriller "Out of Time" | |
2004 | Cast in the role of Bennet Marco, originally played by Frank Sinatra, in remake of "The Manchurian Candidate" | |
2004 | Starred opposite Dakota Fanning in Tony Scott's "Man on Fire" | |
2005 | Starred as Brutus in the Broadway production of "Julius Caesar" | |
2006 | Re-teamed with director Spike Lee for the fourth time to star in the hostage drama "Inside Man" | |
2006 | Re-teamed with director Tony Scott for the thriller, "Deja Vu" | |
2007 | Cast as Frank Lucas, a real-life 70's heroin kingpin in the Ridley Scott directed "American Gangster"; earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor | |
2007 | Directed (also acted) "The Great Debaters"; a true story based on the Wiley College debate team in the 1930s | |
2009 | Once again teamed with Tony Scott for the remake of "The Taking of Pelham 123" | |
2010 | Played the lead role in "The Book of Eli," a post-apocalyptic drama directed by the Hughes brothers | |
2010 | Re-teamed with Tony Scott for "Unstoppable" | |
2010 | Starred in the Broadway revival of August Wilson's "Fences" | |
2012 | Played a fugitive on the run with a CIA agent (Ryan Reynolds) in "Safe House" | |
2012 | Starred in Robert Zemeckis directed drama "Flight" | |
Awards
1987 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Cry Freedom |
1987 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Cry Freedom |
1989 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Glory |
1989 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Glory |
1992 | Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in Malcolm X |
1992 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor in Malcolm X |
1992 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Malcolm X |
1992 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in Malcolm X |
1993 | Berlin International Film Festival for Silver Bear for Best Actor in Malcolm X |
1993 | MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance in Malcolm X |
1994 | MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo in Philadelphia |
1994 | MTV Movie Award for Most Desirable Male in The Pelican Brief |
1995 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special in Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream |
1996 | MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance in Crimson Tide |
1999 | Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in The Hurricane |
1999 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in The Hurricane |
2000 | Berlin International Film Festival for Silver Bear for Best Actor in The Hurricane |
2000 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in The Hurricane |
2001 | Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in Training Day |
2001 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor in Training Day |
2001 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Training Day |
2001 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor in Training Day |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Non-Fiction Special (Informational) (Area Award: Possibility of One, More Than One or No Award in Half Past Autumn: The Life and Times of Gordon Parks |
2002 | Critics' Choice Award for Freedom Award in Antwone Fisher |
2002 | MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in Training Day |
2002 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in Training Day |
2007 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in American Gangster |
2008 | MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance in American Gangster |
2008 | MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in American Gangster |
2008 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in American Gangster |
2010 | Tony Award for Actor (Play) |
2012 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Actor in Flight |
2012 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Flight |
2012 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in Flight |