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Denzel Hayes Washington Jr.Β (born December 28, 1954)Β is an American actor.Β Known for his dramatic rolesΒ on stage and screen, he has receivedΒ numerous accolades, including twoΒ Academy Awards, anΒ Actor Award, twoΒ Golden Globes, twoΒ Silver BearsΒ and aΒ Tony Award, as well as nominations for aΒ Grammy AwardΒ and twoΒ Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2020,Β The New York TimesΒ named Washington the greatest actor of the 21st century.Β He has also been honoured with theΒ Cecil B. DeMille AwardΒ in 2016,Β AFI Life Achievement AwardΒ in 2019, theΒ Honorary Palme d'OrΒ in 2025, and theΒ Presidential Medal of FreedomΒ in 2025. Films in which he has appeared have grossed over $5.1 billion worldwide.
After training at theΒ American Conservatory Theater, Washington began his career in theatre, acting in Off-Broadway performances. He first came to prominence in theΒ NBCΒ medical drama seriesΒ St. ElsewhereΒ (1982β1988), and in the war filmΒ A Soldier's StoryΒ (1984). Washington won Academy Awards forΒ Best Supporting ActorΒ for playing anΒ American Civil WarΒ soldier in the war dramaΒ Glory (1989) and forΒ Best ActorΒ for playing a corrupt police officer in the crime thrillerΒ Training Day (2001).Β He was Oscar-nominated for his roles inΒ Cry FreedomΒ (1987),Β Malcolm XΒ (1992),Β The HurricaneΒ (1999),Β FlightΒ (2012),Β FencesΒ (2016),Β Roman J. Israel, Esq.Β (2017), andΒ The Tragedy of MacbethΒ (2021).
Washington has starred in other notable films, includingΒ The Pelican Brief,Β PhiladelphiaΒ (both 1993);Β Crimson Tide,Β Devil in a Blue DressΒ (both 1995);Β He Got GameΒ (1998);Β Remember the TitansΒ (2000);Β Man on FireΒ (2004);Β DΓ©jΓ Vu,Β Inside ManΒ (both 2006);Β American GangsterΒ (2007);Β Unstoppable,Β The Book of EliΒ (both 2010);Β The EqualizerΒ trilogy (2014β2023),Β Gladiator IIΒ (2024), andΒ Highest 2 LowestΒ (2025). Washington has also directed the filmsΒ Antwone FisherΒ (2002),Β The Great DebatersΒ (2007),Β FencesΒ (2016), andΒ A Journal for JordanΒ (2021).
On stage, he has acted inΒ The Public TheaterΒ productions ofΒ CoriolanusΒ (1979) andΒ The Tragedy of Richard IIIΒ (1990). He made hisΒ BroadwayΒ debut in theΒ Ron MilnerΒ playΒ CheckmatesΒ (1988). He won theΒ Tony Award for Best Actor in a PlayΒ for his role as a disillusionedΒ working-classΒ father in the Broadway revival ofΒ August Wilson's playΒ FencesΒ (2010). He has also acted in the Broadway revivals ofΒ William Shakespeare'sΒ Julius CaesarΒ (2005) andΒ OthelloΒ (2025),Β Lorraine Hansberry's playΒ A Raisin in the SunΒ (2014), andΒ Eugene O'Neill's playΒ The Iceman Cometh (2018).
