Denzel+Washington



One of Hollywood's sexiest and most magnetic leading men, Denzel Washington's poise shows no matter what film he is in, whether it be a conscious drama, biopic, or suspense thriller. More importantly, Washington's efforts, alongside those of director Spike Lee, have done much to dramatically expand the range of dramatic roles given to African-American actors and actresses.

The son of a Pentecostal minister and a hairdresser, Washington was born in Mount Vernon, NY, on December 28, 1954. His parents' professions shaped Washington's early ambition to launch himself into show business: from his minister father he learned the power of performance, while hours in his mother's salon (listening to stories) gave him a love of storytelling. Unfortunately, when Washington was 14, his folks' marriage took a turn for the worse, and he and his older sister were sent away to boarding school so that they would not be exposed to their parents' eventual divorce. Washington later attended Fordham University, where he attained a B.A. in Journalism in 1977. He still found time to pursue his interest in acting, however, and after graduation he moved to San Francisco, where he won a scholarship to the American Conservatory Theatre. Washington stayed with the ACT for a year, and, after his time there, he began acting in various television movies and made his film debut in the 1981 Carbon Copy.

Denzel has made his mark on the hollywood scene winning numerous Oscars, Globe, and Emmy Amards. His trademark as the leading man usually portays real life figures such as Frank Lucas, Herman Boone, and Malcolm X to name a few. He is notable as the second African American man (after Sidney Poitier ) to win the Academy Award Best Actor, which he received for his role in the 2001 film Training Day. Some of his [|films] include Inside Man, Training Day, and Malcolm X. Denzel is known as one of the most successful African American actors that ever lived. He went from originally wanting to become a journalist to finding a passion in expressing the drama, suspense, and re-enactment of influencial charaters. He is truly a substantial figure to African Americans.