Denzel Washington is one of the most acclaimed actors of the past thirty years. He may face some criticism over the disproportionate number of action movies he has come out with in recent years, but there have been countless excellent films – and plays – that he has starred in throughout every part of his career. Read below to find out some things you probably didn’t know about the actor in part one of this list.
Number Fifteen: He Shadowed Washington Post Writers as Research for The Pelican Brief
Although Denzel studying journalism in college – along with drama, of course – apparently his degree wasn’t enough. Denzel spent months on the beat with reporters in preparation for his role in the 1993 film The Pelican Brief.
Number Fourteen: Denzel Has Played Malcolm X in Two Different Pieces
His performance in the 1992 film is well-known – and very well-respected. But many don’t know that the actor portrayed the civil rights figure in the Off-Broadway production of When the Chickens Came Home to Roost.
Number Thirteen: He Has Vacation in Italy – A Lot
Denzel has said that he needs to vacation somewhere with water. This would explained why Washington spends almost ever summer with his family in coastal Italy.
Number Twelve: He Often Performs His Own Stunts
In the 2010 film The Book of Eli, Washington performed all of his own stunts for his character’s hand-to-hand fight sequences. At one point, this included pretending to fight 15 men at once.
Number Eleven: His Cousin is a Philadelphia News Anchor
Denzel could have learned some real-life journalism from his cousin, too. Newsman Ukee Washington co-anchors the news on CBS in Philadelphia.
Number Ten: He Has Been a Spokesperson for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America for Decades
He has credited the organization for helping him while he was growing up. He has been a national spokesperson for the organization since 1993.
Number Nine: Denzel Washington’s Greatness Was Prophesized
When Washington was a boy, a woman getting her hair done saw him with his mother and wrote predicted that said Denzel would grow up and speak to millions. The woman was considered a prophetess in their community. Thanks for reading and look out for part two!