Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. was born in Mount Vernon, New York, the second of three children of a Pentecostal minister and a beautician. After graduating from high school, Washington enrolled at Fordham University looking to pursue a career in journalism. Yet, the acting bug bit him while appearing in student drama productions and when he graduated, he moved to San Francisco and enrolled at the American Conservatory Theater. He left A.C.T. after only one year to seek work as an actor.
Washington made his big screen debut in the 1981 comedy Carbon Copy starring George Segal. Throughout the 80s, Washington starred on both television and in movies and landed the choice role of “Dr. Chandler” on the NBC hit medical television series St. Elsewhere, where he stayed for six years. In 1989, Washington’s tremendous acting skill was rewarded when he won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in the historical war drama Glory.
The 90s saw Washington having roles in hit movies like the 1993 crime/drama The Pelican Brief and the 1993 drama Philadelphia. His work in the 1999 sport bio-drama The Hurricane earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor but he didn’t earn his second statuette until his role in 2001 action/crime/drama Training Day. His work in Hollywood continues to delight and captivate us as he displays his acting skills in drama, comedy and action. In honor of his 59th birthday, here is a Top 10 list of Denzel Washington movies.