Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington began his acting career in theater, performing in the summer stock production Wings of the Morning in 1976. He made his screen debut in the television film Wilma in 1977 and his first Hollywood film appearance in Carbon Copy in 1981. He appeared in the Off-Broadway production A Soldier’s Play in 1981 and starred as Dr. Phillip Chandler in the television series St. Elsewhere from 1982 to 1988. During this period, he appeared in the films A Soldier’s Story (1984), Hard Lessons (1986), Power (1986), and Cry Freedom (1987). In 1989, he appeared in Glory, The Mighty Quinn, and For Queen and Country.

In 1990, Washington appeared in the stage production Richard III and starred in the film Mo’ Better Blues. He starred in Mississippi Masala in 1991 and portrayed Malcolm X in the film Malcolm X in 1992. He founded the production company Mundy Lane Entertainment in 1992 and appeared in Philadelphia (1993), The Pelican Brief (1993), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Crimson Tide (1995), Courage Under Fire (1996), and The Preacher’s Wife (1996). He starred in He Got Game (1998), Fallen (1998), The Bone Collector (1999), and The Hurricane (1999).

In 2000, Washington starred in Remember the Titans. He appeared in Training Day (2001) and directed and starred in Antwone Fisher (2002). He starred in John Q (2002), Out of Time (2003), Man on Fire (2004), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), Inside Man (2006), and Déjà Vu (2006). He appeared on stage in the Broadway revival of Julius Caesar in 2005. He starred in and directed The Great Debaters (2007) and appeared in American Gangster (2007) and The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009).

In 2010, Washington starred in the Broadway revival of Fences and appeared in the films The Book of Eli and Unstoppable. He starred in Safe House (2012), Flight (2012), and 2 Guns (2013). He appeared in the Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun in 2014 and starred in The Equalizer (2014). He directed and starred in Fences (2016) and appeared in The Magnificent Seven (2016) and Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017). He appeared on Broadway in The Iceman Cometh in 2018 and reprised his role in The Equalizer 2 (2018) and The Equalizer 3 (2023).

In 2020, Washington produced the film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. He starred in The Little Things (2021) and Macbeth (2021), and directed A Journal for Jordan (2021). He appeared in Gladiator II (2024) and produced The Piano Lesson (2024). In 2025, he starred in the Broadway revival of Othello and was cast in the films Highest 2 Lowest, Black Panther 3, and a film portraying Hannibal.