Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington is an American actor, director, and producer known for performances in films such as Malcolm X, Training Day, and Fences.
Malcolm X (film): A 1992 biographical film directed by Spike Lee, starring Denzel Washington as civil rights leader Malcolm X. Washington’s title performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Spike Lee: An American filmmaker whose films include Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, and BlacKkKlansman. Lee directed Washington in Malcolm X and Inside Man.
Fordham University: A private Jesuit research university in New York City, founded in 1841. Washington studied drama there and graduated in 1977.
Academy Award for Best Actor: An annual Academy Award recognizing a leading performance in a film. Washington won for Training Day, becoming the second Black actor to receive the award.
Training Day: A 2001 crime thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua, starring Denzel Washington as corrupt Los Angeles detective Alonzo Harris. His performance as Harris won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Antoine Fuqua: An American film director known for Training Day, the Equalizer films, and The Magnificent Seven. Fuqua directed Washington in Training Day and several later films.
American Conservatory Theater: A nonprofit theatre company and accredited acting school based in San Francisco. Washington studied acting there after graduating from Fordham.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor: An annual Academy Award recognizing a supporting performance in a film. Washington won for Glory, his first Academy Award.
Fences (film): A 2016 film directed by Denzel Washington, adapted from August Wilson’s play and starring Washington as Troy Maxson. Washington brought his acclaimed stage role as Troy Maxson to the screen.
August Wilson: An American playwright whose ten-play Pittsburgh Cycle chronicles Black American life across the twentieth century. Washington directed and starred in the film adaptation of Wilson’s Fences.