---
name: "Denzel Washington"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/denzel-washington"
fi1m_id: "denzel-washington"
imdb_id: "nm0000243"
tmdb_id: 5292
wikidata_id: "Q42101"
roles: ["Actor","Producer","Director"]
born: "28 December 1954"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 19
average_fi1m_score: 70
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 15
updated: "2026-10-23T04:09:08.852331+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Denzel Washington

## Identity

Denzel Washington

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/denzel-washington
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** denzel-washington
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000243
- **TMDB ID:** 5292
- **Wikidata ID:** Q42101
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denzel_Washington, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q42101, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000243/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5292

Actor and producer. Born 28 December 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Producer, Director
- **Born:** 28 December 1954, Mount Vernon, New York, USA
- **Active:** 1982–present
- **Also known as:** Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr., Denzel Hayes Washington, Дэнзэл Вашингтон
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 19: 15 acting, 2 directing, 2 producing
- **Frequently works with:** [Todd Black](https://film.one/person/todd-black.md), [Antoine Fuqua](https://film.one/person/antoine-fuqua.md), [Ethan Hawke](https://film.one/person/ethan-hawke.md), [Jerry Bruckheimer](https://film.one/person/jerry-bruckheimer.md), [Michael Potts](https://film.one/person/michael-potts.md), [Richard Wenk](https://film.one/person/richard-wenk.md), [Ridley Scott](https://film.one/person/ridley-scott.md), [Tony Goldwyn](https://film.one/person/tony-goldwyn.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscars (2 won · 8 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 70, as actor, over 15 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 77 (4), 1990s 74 (4), 2000s 67 (3), 2010s 62 (2), 2020s 66 (6)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 69 to 65 across 12 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 10 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 12 of 14 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 12, Crime 6, Action 5, Thriller 4, Adventure 2, History 2
- **Screen time:** 30 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,648m across 14 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denzel_Washington, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q42101, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000243/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5292

## Coming up

- *Black Panther 3* (2028-12-13)

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Glory*](https://film.one/film/glory.md) (82), [*A Soldier's Story*](https://film.one/film/a-soldiers-story.md) (76), [*The Pelican Brief*](https://film.one/film/the-pelican-brief.md) (63)
- **Apple TV:** [*The Tragedy of Macbeth*](https://film.one/film/the-tragedy-of-macbeth.md) (80), [*Gladiator II*](https://film.one/film/gladiator-ii.md) (64), [*The Magnificent Seven*](https://film.one/film/the-magnificent-seven-2016.md) (54)
- **Netflix:** [*Ma Rainey's Black Bottom*](https://film.one/film/ma-raineys-black-bottom.md) (69), [*The Piano Lesson*](https://film.one/film/the-piano-lesson.md) (65)
- **Disney+:** [*Grey's Anatomy*](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md) (68), [*The Equalizer 3*](https://film.one/film/the-equalizer-3.md) (60)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Training Day*](https://film.one/film/training-day.md) (80)
- **Pluto TV:** [*Much Ado About Nothing*](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md) (78)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Denzel Washington

> Denzel Washington can make a smile suggest that he has already settled the matter. We rate his restraint and comic timing most highly; the scripts do not always give him enough to work with.

In *Gladiator II* (2024), Denzel Washington’s Macrinus smiles a beat before he speaks. He stresses an unexpected word and finds a laugh that the script has not supplied. He touches senators on the arm with a familiarity that feels faintly threatening. Ridley Scott’s film is decent but empty, and Washington gives it much of its pleasure. Macrinus finds the Roman establishment amusing and intends to own it, and Washington makes both impulses clear without asking us to like him.

*Glory* (1989) helped establish him as a major film actor. Spike Lee’s *Malcolm X* (1992) established him as a leading man; *Training Day* (2001) gave that authority a morally complicated use. He later directed *Fences* (2016), as well as appearing in it. There, his delivery can become too declamatory for the screen, and we prefer him when he does not press so hard.

In *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), his Don Pedro does little to compete with Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. That restraint gives the social comedy weight, particularly when Branagh’s direction becomes too broad. Washington and Thompson speak the lines to each other without making a performance of their accessibility. The film is easier company when they are allowed to talk than when it insists on proving how much fun everyone is having.

Antoine Fuqua gives him comparable room in the quieter stretches of *The Equalizer 3* (2023). Robert McCall walks stiffly, drinks tea on a café terrace and steadies a hand on a railing. We enjoyed these quiet scenes more than we expected, because Washington makes the possibility of an ordinary day matter to a man accustomed to violence. The late-arriving smile does more for McCall than Richard Wenk’s familiar gangsters do for the story. Once the shooting takes over, the film has little new to offer.

Washington is still worth watching in films that have stopped giving him much to do. That is a reason to value the performance, not to excuse another thin script. Start with *Much Ado About Nothing* for the restraint, and save *Gladiator II* for an evening when one actor’s enjoyment will be enough.

## Biography

Denzel Washington is an American actor. He was born on 28 December 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York. After training at the American Conservatory Theater, he began his career in theatre before gaining prominence in the NBC series *St. Elsewhere* (1982–1988).

Washington won Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in *Glory* (1989) and Best Actor in *Training Day* (2001). He has also received two Golden Globes, a Tony Award and other honours. His films include *The Equalizer* (2014), *Flight* (2012), *American Gangster* (2007) and *Fences* (2016).

He produced *The Piano Lesson* (2024), directed by his son Malcolm Washington, and appeared as Macrinus in *Gladiator II* (2024). He also produced and starred as Robert McCall in *The Equalizer 3* (2023).

*Sources: apnews.com, en.wikipedia.org, radiotimes.com.*

## On Fi1m (19)

### Performed in (15) — the average rests on these

- *Gladiator II* (2024), Fi1m 64, as Macrinus — [page](https://film.one/film/gladiator-ii.md)
- *The Equalizer 3* (2023), Fi1m 60, as Robert McCall — [page](https://film.one/film/the-equalizer-3.md)
- *The Little Things* (2021), Fi1m 60, as Joe 'Deke' Deacon — [page](https://film.one/film/the-little-things.md)
- *The Tragedy of Macbeth* (2021), Fi1m 80, as Macbeth — [page](https://film.one/film/the-tragedy-of-macbeth.md)
- *The Magnificent Seven* (2016), Fi1m 54, as Sam Chisolm — [page](https://film.one/film/the-magnificent-seven-2016.md)
- *The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3* (2009), Fi1m 54, as Walter Garber — [page](https://film.one/film/the-taking-of-pelham-1-2-3.md)
- *Training Day* (2001), Fi1m 80, as Alonzo — [page](https://film.one/film/training-day.md)
- *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), Fi1m 78, as Don Pedro — [page](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md)
- *Philadelphia* (1993), Fi1m 76, as Joe Miller — [page](https://film.one/film/philadelphia.md)
- *The Pelican Brief* (1993), Fi1m 63, as Gray Grantham — [page](https://film.one/film/the-pelican-brief.md)
- *Malcolm X* (1992), Fi1m 79, as Malcolm X — [page](https://film.one/film/malcolm-x.md)
- *Glory* (1989), Fi1m 82, as Pvt. Trip — [page](https://film.one/film/glory.md)
- *Cry Freedom* (1987), Fi1m 72, as Steve Biko — [page](https://film.one/film/cry-freedom.md)
- *A Soldier's Story* (1984), Fi1m 76, as Private First Class Peterson — [page](https://film.one/film/a-soldiers-story.md)
- *St. Elsewhere* (1982), Fi1m 78, as Philip Chandler — [page](https://film.one/tv/st-elsewhere.md)

### Directed (2)

- *Fences* (2016), Fi1m 70, as Troy Maxson — [page](https://film.one/film/fences.md)
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), Fi1m 68, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)

### Produced (2)

- *The Piano Lesson* (2024), Fi1m 65, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-piano-lesson.md)
- *Ma Rainey's Black Bottom* (2020), Fi1m 69, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/ma-raineys-black-bottom.md)

## Complete filmography (77)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Black Panther 3* (2028), Actor
- *Denzel Washington: Falling Forward* (2025), Actor
- *Highest 2 Lowest* (2025), as David King
- *Gladiator II* (2024), as Macrinus — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/gladiator-ii.md)
- *The Piano Lesson* (2024), Producer — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/the-piano-lesson.md)
- *The Wait* (2023), Thanks
- *The Equalizer 3* (2023), as Robert McCall · Producer — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-equalizer-3.md)
- *A Journal for Jordan* (2021), Director, Producer
- *The Tragedy of Macbeth* (2021), as Macbeth — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/the-tragedy-of-macbeth.md)
- *The Little Things* (2021), as Joe 'Deke' Deacon — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-little-things.md)
- *Ma Rainey's Black Bottom* (2020), Producer — Fi1m 69, [page](https://film.one/film/ma-raineys-black-bottom.md)
- *The Equalizer 2* (2018), as Robert McCall · Producer
- *Roman J. Israel, Esq.* (2017), as Roman J. Israel · Producer
- *Chasing Trane* (2017), as John Coltrane (voice)
- *Fences* (2016), as Troy Maxson · Director, Producer — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/fences.md)
- *The Magnificent Seven* (2016), as Sam Chisolm — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/the-magnificent-seven-2016.md)
- *The Equalizer* (2014), as Robert McCall · Producer
- *2 Guns* (2013), as Robert 'Bobby' Trench
- *Flight* (2012), as Whip Whitaker
- *Safe House* (2012), as Tobin Frost · Executive Producer
- *Unstoppable* (2010), as Frank Barnes
- *The Book of Eli* (2010), as Eli · Producer
- *The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3* (2009), as Walter Garber — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/the-taking-of-pelham-1-2-3.md)
- *The Great Debaters* (2007), as Melvin B. Tolson · Director
- *American Gangster* (2007), as Frank Lucas
- *Déjà Vu* (2006), as Doug Carlin
- *Inside Man* (2006), as Keith Frazier
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, Director — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *The Manchurian Candidate* (2004), as Major Bennett Ezekiel Marco
- *Man on Fire* (2004), as John W. Creasy
- *Out of Time* (2003), as Matt Lee Whitlock
- *Antwone Fisher* (2002), as Dr. Jerome Davenport · Director, Producer
- *John Q* (2002), as John Quincy Archibald
- *Training Day* (2001), as Alonzo — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/training-day.md)
- *Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks* (2000), Producer
- *Remember the Titans* (2000), as Coach Herman Boone
- *The Bone Collector* (1999), as Lincoln Rhyme
- *The Hurricane* (1999), as Rubin "Hurricane" Carter
- *The Siege* (1998), as Anthony 'Hub' Hubbard
- *He Got Game* (1998), as Jake Shuttlesworth
- *Fallen* (1998), as John Hobbes
- *Mother Goose: A Rappin' and Rhymin' Special* (1997), as Humpty Dumpty / The Crooked Man (voice)
- *The Preacher's Wife* (1996), as Dudley
- *Courage Under Fire* (1996), as Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling
- *Devil in a Blue Dress* (1995), as Easy Rawlins
- *Virtuosity* (1995), as Parker Barnes
- *Crimson Tide* (1995), as Lt. Commander Ronald "Ron" Hunter
- *Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child* (1995), series, as King Omar (voice), Humpty Dumpty / Crooked Man (voice)
- *Philadelphia* (1993), as Joe Miller — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/philadelphia.md)
- *The Pelican Brief* (1993), as Gray Grantham — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/the-pelican-brief.md)
- *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), as Don Pedro — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md)
- *Malcolm X* (1992), as Malcolm X — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/malcolm-x.md)
- *Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II* (1992), as Narrator (voice)
- *Jammin': Jelly Roll Morton on Broadway* (1992), as Narrator (voice)
- *Ricochet* (1991), as Nick Styles
- *Mississippi Masala* (1991), as Demetrius Williams
- *Rabbit Ears - Anansi* (1991), as Narrator (voice)
- *Rabbit Ears - John Henry* (1990), as Narrator (voice)
- *Mo' Better Blues* (1990), as Bleek Gilliam
- *Heart Condition* (1990), as Napoleon Stone
- *Glory* (1989), as Pvt. Trip — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/glory.md)
- *The Mighty Quinn* (1989), as Xavier Quinn
- *American Experience* (1988), series, as Narrator (voice)
- *The George McKenna Story* (1988), as George McKenna
- *For Queen & Country* (1988), as Reuben
- *Cry Freedom* (1987), as Steve Biko — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/cry-freedom.md)
- *License to Kill* (1986), as Martin Sawyer
- *Power* (1986), as Arnold Billings
- *A Soldier's Story* (1984), as Private First Class Peterson — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/a-soldiers-story.md)
- *St. Elsewhere* (1982), series, as Philip Chandler — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/st-elsewhere.md)
- *Carbon Copy* (1981), as Roger Porter
- *Flesh & Blood* (1979), as Kirk
- *Flesh & Blood* (1979), series, as Kirk
- *Coriolanus* (1979), as Roman Soldier / Volscian Soldier
- *Wilma* (1977), as Robert Eldridge, age 18
- *Here Comes the Flood*, Actor
- *Untitled Hannibal Film*, as Hannibal the Great · Producer

## Gallery

- ![Denzel Washington as Malcolm X in Malcolm X (1992)](https://film.one/media/title/4084/still-d56df7f04b45.jpg) Denzel Washington as Malcolm X in *Malcolm X* (1992) — Image via TMDB
- ![Denzel Washington as Alonzo in Training Day (2001)](https://film.one/media/title/5266/still-a8096173e50e.jpg) Denzel Washington as Alonzo in *Training Day* (2001) — Image via TMDB
- ![Denzel Washington as Pvt. Trip in Glory (1989)](https://film.one/media/title/6452/still-eb8a999fbba8.jpg) Denzel Washington as Pvt. Trip in *Glory* (1989) — Image via TMDB
- ![Denzel Washington as Joe Miller in Philadelphia (1993)](https://film.one/media/title/4188/still-56b46a9b8d27.jpg) Denzel Washington as Joe Miller in *Philadelphia* (1993) — Image via TMDB
- ![Denzel Washington as Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing (1993)](https://film.one/media/title/1477/still-0257e701cf39.jpg) Denzel Washington as Don Pedro in *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993) — Image via TMDB
- ![Denzel Washington as Robert McCall in The Equalizer 3 (2023)](https://film.one/media/title/1534/still-74b0ef4f9774.jpg) Denzel Washington as Robert McCall in *The Equalizer 3* (2023) — Image via TMDB
- ![Denzel Washington](https://film.one/media/person/10457/gallery-8315c6257448.jpg) Denzel Washington — Gabriel Hutchinson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Denzel_Washington_at_the_2025_Cannes_Film_Festival.jpg/1280px-Denzel_Washington_at_the_2025_Cannes_Film_Festival.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Denzel Washington at the unveiling of his Sardi's portrait, 2025](https://film.one/media/person/10457/gallery-1420ff77faa2.jpg) Denzel Washington at the unveiling of his Sardi's portrait, 2025 — PhilipRomanoPhoto, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/DenzelWashington-byPhilipRomano.jpg/1280px-DenzelWashington-byPhilipRomano.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Denzel Washington at the unveiling of his Sardi's portrait, 2025](https://film.one/media/person/10457/gallery-a4c238a6a1d8.jpg) Denzel Washington at the unveiling of his Sardi's portrait, 2025 — PhilipRomanoPhoto, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/DenzelWashington-byPhilipRomano2.jpg/1280px-DenzelWashington-byPhilipRomano2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Denzel Washington at the unveiling of his Sardi's portrait, 2025](https://film.one/media/person/10457/gallery-ce84f6e961e1.jpg) Denzel Washington at the unveiling of his Sardi's portrait, 2025 — PhilipRomanoPhoto, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/DenzelWashington-byPhilipRomano3.jpg/1280px-DenzelWashington-byPhilipRomano3.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Denzel Washington](https://film.one/media/person/10457/gallery-8b2edd540c6a.jpg) Denzel Washington — Image via TMDB
- ![Denzel Washington at the unveiling of his Sardi's portrait, 2025](https://film.one/media/person/10457/gallery-90e2a172660e.jpg) Denzel Washington at the unveiling of his Sardi's portrait, 2025 — PhilipRomanoPhoto, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/DenzelWashington-byPhilipRomano2bw.jpg/1280px-DenzelWashington-byPhilipRomano2bw.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 2 won, 8 nominated

- 2022: Best Actor (nominated), for *The Tragedy of Macbeth*
- 2018: Best Actor (nominated), for *Roman J. Israel, Esq.*
- 2017: Best Picture (nominated), for *Fences*
- 2017: Best Actor (nominated), for *Fences*
- 2013: Best Actor (nominated), for *Flight*
- 2002: Best Actor (won), for *Training Day*
- 2000: Best Actor (nominated), for *The Hurricane*
- 1993: Best Actor (nominated), for *Malcolm X*
- 1990: Best Supporting Actor (won), for *Glory*
- 1988: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Cry Freedom*

### Golden Globes — 2 won

- 2000: Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (won), for *The Hurricane*
- 1990: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (won), for *Glory*

### Berlin International Film Festival — 2 won

- 2000: Best Actor (won), for *The Hurricane*
- 1993: Best Actor (won), for *Malcolm X*

### Other awards — 7 won, 3 nominated

- Presidential Medal of Freedom 2025: Presidential Medal of Freedom (won)
- Presidential Medal of Freedom 2022: Presidential Medal of Freedom (won)
- Donostia Award 2014: Donostia Award (won)
- Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 2010: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play (won), for *Fences*
- Horatio Alger Award 2009: Horatio Alger Award (won)
- MTV Movie Award for Best Villain 2008: MTV Movie Award for Best Villain (nominated), for *American Gangster*
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor 2002: Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor (nominated), for *Training Day*
- MTV Movie Award for Best Villain 2002: MTV Movie Award for Best Villain (won), for *Training Day*
- Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award 2001: Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award (won)
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor 1997: Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor (nominated), for *Courage Under Fire*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/denzel-washington