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He was born in Mount Vernon, New York, the son of a minister and a beauty-parlour owner. In his youth, Denzel was banned by his parents from watching movies. When his parents split up, Denzel went through a rebellious stage, at the end of which several of his friends went to prison after getting into trouble. His mother's reaction was to send him away to preparatory school, and then on to Fordham University, where he discovered acting and earned a degree in journalism.
He landed his first film role in the 1975 TV movie Wilma. While filming this movie he met actress Pauletta Pearson , who he later married. His big break came when he starred in the popular TV hospital drama St. Elsewhere.
Washington turned down roles in several action films, in hopes for a more challenging role. In 1987 he starred as South African anti-apartheid campaigner Steve Biko in Richard Attenborough's Cry Freedom. In 1989 Denzel won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, after playing a defiant self-possessed slave in the film GloryGlory is a 1989 film which depicts the Unionists' attack on Fort Wagner during the American Civil War, which was spearheaded by Robert Gould Shaw's 54th Massachusetts Regiment. The movie was adapted by Kevin Jarre from the books One Gallant Rush by Peter.
Denzel played one of his most critically acclaimed roles in 1992's Malcolm XMalcolm X was a 1992 movie directed by Spike Lee about the African-American activist and Black nationalist Malcolm X, and starred Denzel Washington. The story is based on autobiography by Malcolm X. 1992 films., directed by Spike LeeShelton Jackson Lee (born March 20, 1957), better known as Spike Lee is an African-American film director and actor noted for his bold, overtly political films. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, his family moved to Brooklyn, New York when he was still very young. where his performance as the Black Nationalist leader earned him an Oscar nomination.
Malcolm X transformed Denzel's career, turning him overnight into one of Hollywood's most respected actors. He turned down several similar roles, such as the chance to play Martin Luther King Jr., because he didn't want to risk being typecast by subject matter.
After being nominated several times before, in 20022002 is a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). 2002 was the first palindromic year since 1991 and the last until 2112. 2002 was also designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom Denzel won an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in the film Training DayTraining Day is a 2001 film which tells the story of a violent, corrupt policeman who is assigned the task of training a new officer. It stars Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger, Harris Yulin, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Macy Gray. in which he played a corrupt, drug-dealing cop.