Surely there’s no back-talk because Denzel Washington is one of the most successful black actors in Hollywood. As one of the best of his kind, he always draws a lot of curiosity from audiences everywhere. Denzel often portrays serious and important larger-than-life characters and does a great job with his great voice and amazing acting chops.
Did you know that the man is a devout Christian and is considering turning to preach? Here are the things you should know about your family life, including other facts about your life.
Denzel Washington Bio (Age)
The famous actor was born on 28 December 1954 as Denzel Washington. He was named after his father, Denzel Hayes Washington Sr. His mother named Lennis Lynne was the owner of a beauty salon at the time of his birth. His father was an ordained Pentecost minister who also worked as an employee for the New York City Water Department and a local department store called S. Klein. The family lived in Mount Vernon, New York.
ALSO RAED: Who Is Tamiko Bolton – George Soros’ Wife, Her Age, Net Worth And Other Facts
Denzel Washington trained in Mount Vernon at the Pennington-Grimes Elementary School until 1968. 1968 was the year in which his parents separated and Denzel Washington, then only 14 years old, experienced a dramatic change in his life. Lennis Lynne took her son to a private preparatory school called the Oakland Military Academy, located in New Windsor, New York. It was a decision that helped remove Washington from the bad company he kept, and so he was prevented from following the route of some of his former friends who ended up in prison.
After the Oakland Military Academy, Denzel Washington attended Mainland High School before moving to Texas Tech University. He later earned a B.A. in Theatre and Journalism from Fordham University in 1977. During his time in Fordham, Denzel Washington also played basketball as a guard. A period of indecision in his life actually led him to pursue writing as a career. He had taken a semester off when he could not decide which course to study, and during that time he worked as a creative art director in a nocturnal summer camp. There, a colleague suggested he try acting after taking part in a staff talent show.
Denzel grew into an outstanding career that included theatre, film and even television. On the big screen, he has portrayed a number of great real-life personalities, including South African anti-apartheid activist Steven Biko in Cry Freedom in 1987. He also played Malcolm X in the 1992 film Malcolm X. He also played as Herman Boone, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, Melvin B. Tolson and Frank Lucas.
Denzel Washington also has some director credits under his belt. His directorial debut was the biographical film, Antwone Fisher. His most recent directorial work was Fences 2016, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
In the course of his career, the man has received a whole series of awards, including the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received at the 73rd Golden Globe Awards 2016.
His Family – Wife, Son, and Daughter
Denzel Washington has what some would regard as one of the few stable marriages in Hollywood. Already in 1983, he married his wife, Pauletta Pearson, after the two met on the set of Wilma, his first television work. The two renewed their vows in 1995, with Archbishop Desmond Tutu leading the ceremony. Denzel Washington is a Christian who has even spoken of becoming a preacher.
The Washingtons were blessed with four children. These include John David (a son born July 28, 1984), Katia (a daughter born November 27, 1986) and the twins Olivia and Malcolm (a daughter and a son born April 10, 1991). The couple’s children also seem to be doing quite well for themselves.
The first son, John David, is a former football player. Katia studied at Yale where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Olivia appeared in Lee Danie’s film The Butler and Malcolm holds a degree in film studies from the University of Pennsylvania.
Denzel Washington’s Height
Denzel Washington is 185 cm (6ft 1in) big and weighs approximately 80 kg (176 lb). It is well known that the actor undergoes intensive training for roles. For example, he trained with Terry Claybon, the famous boxing trainer, while preparing to take on the role of Ruby “Hurricane” Carter for the film The Hurricane in 1999. He also worked with the Navy Seals while preparing for The Equalizer.
ALSO READ: Who Is Morris Chestnut’s Wife? Age, Kids (Son, Daughter) Family, Net Worth
Quick Facts about the Actor
Denzel Washington also studied acting at the Lincoln Center campus and attended graduate school at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.
He served as a spokesman for the Boys and Girls Club of America, and a New York City primary school was named after him for his services.
Denzel is a philanthropist with a number of large donations over the years, including a 1995 contribution of $1 million to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.
He supported Barack Obama when he came out in 2008.
The actor was named by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia as one of the few three people with whom they would negotiate the release of three defense companies they held captive from 2003 to 2008.
In 1991, Denzel Washington received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater. Fordham University accordingly stated its reasons for awarding him the degree to incorporate his success in exploring the margins of his diverse talent. He has also received honorary degrees from Morehouse College and the University of Pennsylvania.