Born on December 28th, 1954, Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, director, and producer, known for his roles on both stage and screen. The actor made his debut in 1977 on the small screen before earning his break in 1981 on the big screen. However, he only came to prominence with his role on the television show St. Elsewhere and in the film A Solider’s Story, in 1982 and 1984 respectively.
His first Academy Award came in 1989 for his role in Glory. He won Best Supporting Actor for the film, and it wasn’t until 2001 that he won his Best Actor Oscar for Training Day. Washington earned several Academy Award nominations for his roles in Cry Freedom, Malcolm X, The Hurricane, Flight, Fences, Roman J. Israel Esq, and The Tragedy of Macbeth. Outside films, Washington has had a prolific career on stage, making his debut in 1979. He continues to act in various plays as of 2025 with his latest, Othello, set to premier from early February 2025.
Denzel Washington's movies in order
| Year | Movie Name | Character Played |
| 1981 | Carbon Copy | Roger Porter |
| 1984 | License to Kill | Martin Sawyer |
| 1984 | A Soldier’s Story | Private First Class Peterson |
| 1986 | Power | Arnold Billing |
| 1987 | Cry Freedom | Steve Biko |
| 1988 | For Queen and Country | Reuben James |
| 1989 | The Mighty Quinn | Xavier Quinn |
| 1989 | Glory | Private Trip |
| 1990 | Heart Condition | Napoleon Stone |
| 1990 | Mo’ Better Blues | Bleek Gilliam |
| 1991 | Ricochet | Nick Styles |
| 1991 | Mississippi Masala | Demetrius Williams |
| 1992 | Malcolm X | Malcolm X |
| 1993 | Much Ado About Nothing | Don Pedro of Aragon |
| 1993 | The Pelican Brief | Gray Grantham |
| 1993 | Philadelphia | Joe Miller |
| 1995 | Crimson Tide | Lt. Commander Ron Hunter |
| 1995 | Virtuosity | Lt. Parker Barnes |
| 1995 | Devil in a Blue Dress | Easy Rawlins |
| 1996 | Courage Under Fire | Lt. Colonel Nathaniel Serling |
| 1996 | The Preacher’s Wife | Dudley |
| 1998 | Fallen | Detective John Hobbes |
| 1998 | He Got Game | Jake Shuttlesworth |
| 1998 | The Siege | Anthony ‘Hub’ Hubbard |
| 1999 | The Bone Collector | Lincoln Rhyme |
| 1999 | The Hurricane | Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter |
| 2000 | Remember the Titans | Coach Herman Boone |
| 2001 | Training Day | Detective Alonzo Harris |
| 2002 | John Q | John Quincy Archibald |
| 2002 | Antwone Fisher | Dr. Jerome Davenport |
| 2003 | Out of Time | Chief Matthias Lee Whitlock |
| 2004 | Man on Fire | John W. Creasy |
| 2004 | The Manchurian Candidate | Major Bennett Marco |
| 2006 | Inside Man | Detective Keith Frazier |
| 2006 | Déjà Vu | Agent Doug Carlin |
| 2007 | American Gangster | Frank Lucas |
| 2007 | The Great Debaters | Melvin B. Tolson |
| 2009 | The Taking of Pelham 123 | Walter Garber |
| 2010 | The Book of Eli | Eli |
| 2010 | Unstoppable | Frank Barnes |
| 2012 | Safe House | Tobin Frost |
| 2012 | Flight | William “Whip” Whitaker Sr. |
| 2013 | 2 Guns | Robert “Bobby” Trench |
| 2014 | The Equalizer | Robert McCall |
| 2016 | The Magnificent Seven | Sam Chisolm |
| 2016 | Fences | Troy Maxson |
| 2017 | Roman J. Israel, Esq. | Roman J. Israel, Esq. |
| 2018 | The Equalizer 2 | Robert McCall |
| 2021 | The Little Things | Joe “Deke” Deacon |
| 2021 | The Tragedy of Macbeth | Lord Macbeth |
| 2023 | The Equalizer 3 | Robert McCall |
| 2024 | Gladiator II | Macrinus |
Also read: Denzel Washington's Net Worth
FAQs on Denzel Washington
A. As of 2025, Denzel Washington has two Oscars.
A. Denzel Washington is a Pentecostal Evangelical Christian and he even considered becoming a preacher before choosing to continue as an actor.
A. Denzel Washington has four biological children; John David, Katia, Malcolm, and Olivia Washington.
