Tall, strikingly handsome leading man of films and television in the 1980s and 1990s, Denzel Washington was born in 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York. He was the middle child of the 3 children of a Pentecostal minister father and a beautician mother. After graduating from high school, Denzel enrolled at Fordham University intent on a career in journalism. However, he caught the acting bug while appearing in student drama productions and, upon graduation, he moved to San Francisco and enrolled at the American Conservatory Theater. He left A.C.T. after only 1 year to seek work as an actor. With his acting versatility and powerful sexual presence, he had no difficulty finding work in numerous television productions. He made his first big screen appearance in Carbon Copy (1981) with George Segal. Through the 1980s, he worked in both movies and television and was chosen for the plum role of "Dr. Chandler" in NBC's hit medical series "St. Elsewhere" (1982), a role that he would play for 6 years. In 1989, he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of "Tripp", the runaway slave in Edward Zwick's powerful historical masterpiece Glory (1989).Through the 1990s, Denzel co-starred in such big budget productions as The Pelican Brief (1993); Philadelphia (1993); Crimson Tide (1995); The Preacher's Wife (1996) and Courage Under Fire (1996) - a role for which he was paid $10 million. He lives quietly in Los Angeles with his wife, Pauletta Washington, and their 4 children. Cerebral and meticulous in his film work, he made his debut as a director in 2002 with Antwone Fisher (2002).

1. Safe House (Casa conspirativă) (2012) - Tobin Frost 2. Flight (2012) - Whip 3. The Book of Eli (2010) - Eli

Vezi Trailer

4. Unstoppable (2010) - Frank

Vezi Trailer

5. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009) - Walter Garber

Vezi Trailer

6. Julia Roberts: An American Cinematheque Tribute (2007) - Himself 7. The Great Debaters (2007) - Melvin B. Tolson

Vezi Trailer

8. American Gangster (2007) - Frank Lucas

Vezi Trailer

9. The Great Debaters (2007) - Regizor

Vezi Trailer

10. Inside Man (2006) - Detective Keith Frazier 11. Deja Vu (2006) - Agent Doug Carlin - ATF

Vezi Trailer

12. Man on Fire (2004) - Creasy 13. Michael Moore, el gran agitador (2004) - Himself (archive footage) (uncredited) 14. The Manchurian Candidate (2004) - Ben Marco 15. "Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (2003) - Himself (2 episodes, 2006-2012) 16. Antwone Fisher (2002) - Dr. Jerome Davenport 17. Antwone Fisher (2002) - Regizor 18. Training Day (2001) - Det. Alonzo Harris 19. The Bone Collector (1999) - Lincoln Rhyme 20. The Hurricane (1999) - Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter 21. He Got Game (1998) - Jake Shuttlesworth 22. Fallen (1998) - John Hobbes 23. The Preacher's Wife (1996) - Dudley 24. Crimson Tide (1995) - Lt. Commander Ron Hunter 25. Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) - Ezekiel 'Easy' Rawlins 26. Virtuosity (1995) - Lt. Parker Barnes 27. The Pelican Brief (1993) - Gray Grantham 28. Philadelphia (1993) - Joe Miller 29. Much Ado About Nothing (1993) - Don Pedro 30. "Late Show with David Letterman" (1993) - Himself / ... (6 episodes, 2004-2010) 31. Malcolm X (1992) - Malcolm X 32. Glory (1989) - Pvt. Trip 33. The Mighty Quinn (1989) - Xavier Quinn 34. For Queen & Country (1988) - Reuben James 35. Power (1986) - Arnold Billing 36. Death Wish (1974) - Alley Mugger #1 (uncredited)

1. Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#77). [1995]

2. Has 4 children, John David Washington (born July 28, 1984), Katia Washington (born November 27, 1987), and twins Malcolm Washington and Olivia Washington (born April 10, 1991), with Pauletta Washington.

3. Son, Malcolm, was named in honor of Malcolm X.

4. To prepare for his role as boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter in The Hurricane (1999), Washington worked out for a year with L.A. boxing trainer Terry Claybon.

5. Attended Fordham University, receiving a B.A. in Journalism.

6. 1996 Harvard Foundation Award

7. In a Newsweek cover story about the biological basis of the perception of beauty, he was used as a key example in a scientific explanation why he is considered an extremely handsome man.

8. Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world [1990]

9. According to a 1995 Premiere magazine article, Denzel confronted director Quentin Tarantino when he visted the set of Crimson Tide (1995). Quentin had done an uncredited rewrite of the script. Denzel lambasted Tarantino about his use of racial slurs in his films. Tarantino got embarrassed and wanted to move the conversation to a more private area. Denzel said, "No, if were going to discuss it, let's discuss it now." Denzel later said he still felt that Quentin was "a fine artist".

10. Denzel is named after his father who was in turn named after the doctor, Doctor Denzel, who had delivered him.

11. In the early 1980s, years before he portrayed Malcolm X in the Spike Lee film Malcolm X (1992), Washington portrayed Malcolm in the off-Broadway production of "When the Chickens Came Home to Roost", at the Henry Street Theatre in NYC.

12. Frequent collaborator of Spike Lee.

13. Named one of E!'s "top 20 entertainers of 2001."

14. Supports charities such as the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, and the Gathering Place (an AIDS hospice).

15. Met his wife Pauletta Washington in 1977 when both had small roles in the TV-movie Wilma (1977) (TV) (she was billed as Pauletta Pearson), the story of runner Wilma Rudolph. They wed five years later.

16. His father was a Pentecostal minister; his mother a beautician and former gospel singer. They divorced when he was 14.

17. Is a spokesperson for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, having been a member of the Boys Club once himself.

18. Only the second black actor (after Sidney Poitier) to win the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (for Training Day (2001)). Poitier received the honorary Academy Award that same year.

19. Was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by People Magazine in 2002.

20. Ranked #28 in Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List. Had ranked #40 in 2002.

21. Often works with director Edward Zwick.

22. Cousin is CBS anchorman Ukee Washington.

23. He and his family are members of the same church as actors Dwayne Winstead, Sy Richardson, Marvin Wright-Bey, and Fitz Houston.

24. Was awarded the title of "Police Chief for a Day" when he was a member of The Boys and Girls Club of America as a child. The photo was shown during his latest appearance on "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" (1988).

25. Tom Hanks said working with Washington on Philadelphia (1993) was like "going to film school". Hanks said he learned more about acting by watching Denzel than from anyone else.

26. He was at his mother's beauty parlor, when a woman getting her hair done saw him and told someone to get her a piece of paper and she wrote at the top "Prophecy" and then wrote that Denzel would grow up and one day speak to millions. Denzel kept the bit of paper in his wallet. The woman was known as a prophetess in their church and community.

27. Cites star-athletes like Jim Brown and Gale Sayers as the role models of his youth.

28. First studied Biology in hopes of becoming a doctor, then switched to Political Science then to a Journalism/Drama major in college.

29. Has worn some kind of military uniform in at least six of his films.

30. Ranked #59 on VH1's 100 Hottest Hotties

31. Because of his pay-or-play deal on the doomed 2005 "American Gangster" project (which was to be directed by Antoine Fuqua), he was paid $20 million even though the film did not move ahead.

32. Premiere Magazine ranked him as #39 on a list of the Greatest Movie Stars of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature (2005).

33. Chosen as People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive [1996]

34. First African-American actor to receive two Academy Awards

35. Has played two soldiers who have suffered traumatic, life-changing experiences while fighting in the 1991 Persian Gulf War: Lt. Col. Nathaniel Serling in Courage Under Fire (1996) and Maj. Ben Marco in The Manchurian Candidate (2004).

36. Though his first theatrical film was a comedy (Carbon Copy (1981)), he has only done three more since. Has mentioned that he's always wanted to do a great one.

37. He and his family visited the troops at Brook Army Medical Center, in San Antonio, Texas (BAMC). There are some buildings there called Fisher Houses. The Fisher House is a Hotel where soldiers' families can stay, for little or no charge, while their soldier is staying in the Hospital. BAMC has quite a few of these houses on base, but as you can imagine, they are almost filled most of the time. He was given a tour of one of the Fisher Houses and subsequent to his visit sent them one of the largest donations they've ever received.

38. His performance as Malcolm X in Malcolm X (1992) is ranked #17 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).

39. Is the second of three children.

40. As of 2006, he is the most Oscar-winning (two) and most nominated (five) black actor/actress in Academy history.

41. Son John David Washington recently signed as a running back with the St. Louis Rams (May 2006).

42. Has two films on the American Film Institute's 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time. They are: Glory (1989) at #31 and Philadelphia (1993) at #20.

43. Has worked with both Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. Ridley directed him in American Gangster (2007). He has worked with Ridley's brother, Tony, on four films, which are: Crimson Tide (1995), Man on Fire (2004), Deja Vu (2006), and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009). He will work with Tony for the fifth time in the upcoming Unstoppable (2010).

44. Turned down Se7en (1995). He opted to do another detective thriller that year, Devil in a Blue Dress (1995).

45. Claims his personal favorite performances are his works in Cry Freedom (1987), Glory (1989), Malcolm X (1992), and Training Day (2001).

46. Turned down the role of Detective David Mills in Se7en (1995).

47. Turned down the role of Cinque in Amistad (1997).

48. His daughter, Katia Washington, currently attends Yale University.

49. Good friends with actress Julia Roberts.

50. Voted as America's Favorite Movie Star in the 2006 and 2007 Harris Polls.

51. At one point, was to star as Dr. Alex Cross in Kiss the Girls (1997), had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.

52. He was presented with the honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia on May 20, 2007.

53. Son of Lennis Washington, a beautician and former Gospel singer.

54. Almost every summer he and his family go to Italy on vacation.

55. For Courage Under Fire (1996), he trained at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin in California, where he qualified on the M1A1 tank and the 120mm gun, participated in battle games and listened to audiotapes of tank battles in Desert Storm.

56. To prepare for his attorney role in Philadelphia (1993), he met with two lawyers who were about to become celebrities in their own right: Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. and Carl Douglas.

57. He spent months on the beat with Washington Post reporters to prepare for The Pelican Brief (1993).

58. Has worked with both Fanning sisters. He worked with Dakota Fanning in Man on Fire (2004); he worked with (although did not have any scenes with) Elle Fanning in Deja Vu (2006).

59. December 2007 - According to Forbes, for each dollar he got paid, his movies averaged $10 of gross income.

60. In 2006, he donated $1 million to Save Africa's Children.

61. When Washington won the Best Actor Oscar for Training Day (2001), Halle Berry won the Best Actress Oscar for Monster's Ball (2001), and Sidney Poitier won the Honorary award (2001), 2002 marked the first time in Academy Awards history that 3 African-Americans so dominated the Oscar ceremonies. [2002]

62. He is a big fan of the TV show "Monk" (2002). He requested Ted Levine to play a part in American Gangster (2007) because he was a fan of the series. He also worked with Tony Shalhoub in The Siege (1998/I).

63. Named Gene Hackman, Angelina Jolie, and Dakota Fanning as the most talented actors he has ever worked with.

64. The actors he most wants to work with are Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. The director he most wants to work with is Martin Scorsese.

65. The offer he regrets turning down the most is Brad Pitt's role in Se7en (1995).

66. Was the original choice to play the title character in Blade (1998).

67. Was considered for the part of Det. Ricardo Tubbs on "Miami Vice" (1984).

68. Broke the pinky finger of his right hand during a childhood basketball accident and never had it set correctly, resulting in the finger healing in a crooked position. The finger is still crooked to this day, bent at the bottom knuckle a full 45 degrees outward from his other fingers.

69. Attended the star-studded opening of Dubai's lavish Atlantis Palms resort. Guests were welcomed in style with a display of one million fireworks, said to be visible from space. [November 11, 2008]

70. As of 2009, Washington and sound engineers Willie D. Burton and Russell Williams II are the only African-Americans to win two Oscars.

71. Brother-in-law of actress Rita Pearson.

72. Frequently works with directors Spike Lee and Tony Scott.

73. Was in consideration for the part of Curtis Taylor Jr in Dreamgirls (2006). However Jamie Foxx was cast instead.

74. Performed all of his own stunts for the hand to hand fight sequences in the post-apocalyptic action film The Book of Eli (2010).

75. Turned down the role that went to George Clooney in Michael Clayton (2007).

76. Lives in Los Angeles, California.

77. Likes to point out the difference between his father's and his first name: Denzel. Though both are spelled the same, his dad's name is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable - DEN-zel, whereas the actor's name is pronounced - den-ZEL.

78. Among his favorite black actors are - Idris Elba and Chiwetel Ejiofor - who happen to be British, and both of whom co-starred with Washington in American Gangster (2007).

79. Has worked twice with Chiwetel Ejiofor. In Inside Man (2006), they played police detectives; in American Gangster (2007), they played criminals.