Hands down, Denzel Washington is one of the most celebrated actors of all time. He’s an icon of American cinema and has appeared in more than 50 movies since his career kicked off. Even more, he’s not just an actor but a producer as well.
One thing’s for sure, Denzel has amassed a whole lot of fame throughout his career. But there’s still a whole lot more to know about the man behind (and in front of) the camera. With that in mind, below are some catchy facts about Daniel Washington.
10. He Once Wanted To Be A Doctor
Every kid has a picture of what they want to be when they grow up. Some realize these dreams, and some don’t. In Denzel’s case, he wanted to be a doctor. He even went to school to get his medical career off the ground, but the universe had other plans.
At some point, he randomly enrolled in an acting class to improve his overall grades. That’s when he decided to switch career paths. At the end of the day, he graduated from Fordham University with a bachelor’s in Drama and Journalism.
9. Someone Predicted He’d Be Famous At A Beauty Parlor
Most people may find this hard to believe, but someone once predicted his future at a beauty parlor. According to Washington, her name was Ruth Green, and people believed she was a prophet. His encounter with her took place at his mum’s beauty parlor, where she told him, “You’re going to travel the world, and you’re going to speak to millions of people.”
8. He Found Love On The Set Of His First Acting Job
Denzel Washington met his wife, Pauletta Washington, on the set of his first acting job, in the 1977 movie Wilma. However, his wife turned down his marriage proposal twice before accepting it the third time. The star and his wife have been married for almost 40 years now and have four children.
7. He Received The Presidential Medal Of Freedom
Washington received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the summer of 2022. The White House honored him for portraying American revolutionaries such as Malcolm X and boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter. Altogether, the honor was a long time coming.
6. Denzel Washington Turned Down The “David Mills” Role
Lots of actors turned down major roles and ended up regretting it. For instance, Halle Berry could have been Annie Porter in Speed, and Madonna could have played Catwoman in Batman Returns. Well, Denzel is on the list too, seeing as he was offered the role of David Mills in the movie Se7en.
Apparently, he turned it down because he believed the script was too demonic. The role was later filled by Brad Pitt. Altogether, he regretted his decision later on and admitted that it was a mistake saying, “Then, I saw the movie and thought, ‘Oh. I blew it.'”
5. He Attended A Military Academy
When his parents broke up, Washington became very undisciplined and rebellious. He reportedly started getting into fights, and as a result, his mother sent him to Oakland Military Boarding School. She simply wanted to keep him out of trouble. Fortunately, it worked, and Washington calls it a life-changing decision.
4. He Prefers Doing His Own Stunts
Denzel is very passionate about acting, and it shows in the fact that he prefers to do his own stunts. He even did most of his fighting scenes in the 2010 film The Book of Eli. He also admitted that he enjoyed doing these scenes himself.
3. Denzel Washington Refused To Kiss Julia Roberts In A Movie
Denzel Washington had a kissing scene with the actress Julia Roberts in the movie, The Pelican Brief. However, he had the scene removed for fear of backlash from women in the black community. In addition, he also deleted a kissing scene with Mimi Rogers. These claims were confirmed by Roberts, who said in an interview that she wanted to kiss Denzel, but he proposed that the scenes be cut.
2. Denzel Is An Author
Denzel Washington sure is a man of many talents. He is not only a remarkable actor but also an author. He wrote the book, A Hand To Guide Me and it’s about all the mentors who guided him on his path to success. The book contains stories about more than 70 American public figures in various fields, such as sports, business, and politics.
1. He Was Once Named “The Sexiest Man On Planet”
This is something we all can agree on, as Washington is quite the looker. It’s a general consensus, and he even has the credentials to prove it. He was the first black star to be named People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1996. So, he wasn’t just declared “fine”, he broke the racial barriers in the process.
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