10 unexpected facts about Denzel Washington (10 photos)

Denzel Washington is one of the most popular actors in Hollywood. He is known mainly for action films, and, although he often plays criminals, in life he hardly appears in gossip columns and gives the impression of depressing normality. But he is also able to surprise his fans with something!





1. Washington once dreamed of becoming a doctor.



Every child has a dream about what he wants to be when he grows up. Some people realize these dreams, some don't. Denzel wanted to become a doctor. He even went to a magnet school to set himself up for a medical career, but the universe had other plans. One day, almost by accident, he enrolled in an acting class - and soon his dreams changed radically. He eventually graduated from Fordham University with a bachelor's degree in drama and journalism.

2. Washington was predicted to become famous at the barbershop.





Washington was first predicted to become famous in the hair salon where his mother worked. As the actor himself recalls, the fortuneteller's name was Ruth Green, and people really considered her a prophetess. They met at his mom's beauty salon, and Greene told him, "You're going to travel all over the world and talk to millions of people."

3. Washington found love in his first role.



Denzel Washington met his wife Pauletta Washington on the set of the 1977 film Wilma. This was his first acting job in a movie. Paulette turned down his marriage proposal twice before accepting him the third time. Denzel and Paulette have been married for over 40 years and have four children.

4. Washington refused to appear in the film "Seven"



Many actors at least once refused bright roles and eventually regretted it. For example, Halle Berry could play Annie Porter in Speed, and Madonna could play Catwoman in Batman Returns. Well, Denzel is also on this list, because he once turned down the role of David Mills in the film Seven. He motivated his refusal by saying that the script was too “diabolical.” Brad Pitt ended up playing the role. Washington later regretted his decision and admitted that it was a mistake. "I saw the movie and thought, 'Oh, what an idiot I am!' - the actor admitted later.

5. Washington went to military school



When his parents split up, Washington became a real teenage rebel. He began to misbehave and fight, and as a result his mother sent him to Auckland Military Boarding School to keep him out of trouble. Luckily, it worked, and Washington calls it a decision that changed his life for the better.

6. Washington prefers to do his own stunts.



Denzel loves his job and prefers to do his own stunts. He starred in, among other things, most of the action scenes in the 2010 film The Book of Eli. He admits that he still enjoys doing his own stunt scenes.

7. Washington refused to kiss Julia Roberts



Denzel Washington had a kissing scene with actress Julia Roberts in the movie The Pelican Brief. However, he removed the scene fearing backlash from women in the black community. Additionally, he also removed the kissing scene with Mimi Rogers. These claims were confirmed by Roberts, who said in an interview that she would have liked to kiss Denzel on screen, but he suggested avoiding the scene.

8. Washington also writes



Denzel Washington is not only a wonderful actor, but also a writer. He wrote a book, “The Hand That Guided Me,” in which he talked about all the mentors who guided him on the path to success. The book contains stories about more than 70 American public figures in various fields such as sports, business and politics.

9. Washington was once called "the sexiest man in the world"



Washington became the first black star to be named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. This happened in 1996. Thus, Washington not only earned this honorable title, but also contributed to the fall of racial barriers.

10. Washington received a medal from the President



In the summer of 2022, Washington received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom. The award was presented to him for bringing to life the images of fiery American fighters for racial equality - Malcolm X and Rubin "Hurricane" Carter.