Denzel Washington
Biography

Name : Denzel Washington
Profession : Actor
Date of Birth : December 28, 1954
Place of Birth : Mount Vernon, NY

One of Hollywood's hottest leading men, Denzel Washington is an actor whose poise and sexy intelligence permeate whatever film he is in, be it socially conscious drama, comedy, or suspense thriller. The son of a Pentecostal minister and a hairdresser, Washington was born in Mount Vernon, New York on December 28, 1954. His parents' professions shaped Washington's early ambition to go into show business: from his minister father he learned the power of performance, while hours spent in his mother's salon listening to stories gave him a love of storytelling.

Unfortunately, when Washington was fourteen, his parents' marriage took a turn for the worse, and he and his older sister were sent away to boarding school so that they would not be exposed to their parents' eventual divorce. Washington went on to college, attaining a B.A. in Journalism from Fordham University in 1977. He still found time to pursue his interest in acting, and after graduation he went to San Francisco, where he won a scholarship to the American Conservatory Theatre. Washington stayed with the ACT for a year, and, after his time there, he began acting in various television movies and made his film debut in the 1981 "Carbon Copy".

He has since starred in numerous hit movies and has won many prestigious awards.

Washington and his wife, singer-actress Pauletta Pearson who met while filming the 1977 TV movie Wilmahave been married since 1983. They have five children and live in Los Angeles. Washington serves as a spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.