Denzel Washington: American Icon (2024)

[bunniefuu]

- You know, that's the thing I'm proud of,

most proud of about this film,

is that it made young people, Black and White,

and other colors too,

think about their history in this country,

and what has happened, how they've been mis-educated,

and to go and learn things for themselves.

I'm real proud of that fact.

[gentle music]

- [Narrator] Not too far from New York City

lies the integrated middle

class suburb of Mount Vernon.

There, on December 28th, 1954, a star was born.

[gentle music]

His name, Denzel Washington Jr.

- Who is Denzel Washington?

Denzel Washington is the

leading actor of the 21st century,

according to the New York Times,

leading Hollywood actor of the 21st century.

- [Reporter] If you could choose your future,

where do you see yourself being in 20 years,

and what kind of work do you think

you'll have accomplished by then?

- Oh, 20 years from now,

I think I would like to see myself making films,

[gentle music]

as a director, possibly as a producer, possibly,

but having more control over the product

that I'm involved with.

You heard it here live, I should stick with acting.

News at 11.

- [Narrator] He was born into a hardworking

and religious family.

His father worked two jobs during the week,

leaving hours before the kids woke up

and returning after they were asleep,

all to ensure that his children were raised

in a financially secure environment.

On Sundays, he was a Pentecostal minister

who preached to his church with a passionate flare.

Denzel's mother, Lennis, worked as a beautician

and owned several beauty shops.

She was a strict but loving mother

who sang in the church choir.

Denzel was the second of three children,

and they were all raised with church and hard work

at the forefront of their lives,

so much so that his father only allowed the kids

to see movies with biblical themes.

- My father was a minister in the church.

I grew up in the church.

We weren't allowed to go to the movies.

We saw "King of Kings," "10 Commandments."

[gentle music]

That might've been about it.

So I didn't grow up really watching westerns.

We had a television show in America, Bonanza.

I got to see that, but I never went to the movies.

- He always said that his

parents were sort of mismatched,

that his mother was a woman of a city

and his father was a man of the country,

who was much more innocent than she was.

I think what they had in common

was they were both very religious.

So his father was a Pentecostal minister,

and his mother was religious as well.

And he grew up going to church every Sunday,

at least every Sunday,

and has carried through his religious belief

throughout his life.

And I think it accounts for

some of his moral sense as an actor,

and his sense that in most of the films he plays,

he plays someone who is on the side of good.

And he said that this was his career goal,

to play characters who brought

something good to the world.

- [Narrator] But when you grow up

just a few streets from the Bronx,

a place where only a few kids went to college

and many more ended up in trouble,

there's only so much sheltering a parent can do.

[gentle music]

Denzel's father was rarely around

to give his son a pat on the

back after a successful game,

as he was usually too busy at work, or at his church.

In order to create a safe haven while they worked,

the Washingtons sent six-year-old Denzel

and his brother, David,

to the Boys and Girls Club after school.

The Boys and Girls Club became

Denzel's home away from home.

There, he was encouraged to play sports

and enjoy the company of other children.

By the time he was 11,

to keep out of mischief and

to help the family's finances,

Denzel joined the workforce with part-time jobs

at neighborhood beauty and barbershops.

Ironic, as Denzel claimed

to rarely have had his hair

cut professionally as a child.

But as Denzel entered his teens,

his strong family foundation started to crumble

with the news of his parents separating.

His father moved to Virginia,

although he continued to stay in touch with his son.

Denzel remained with his mother in New York,

strengthening their tight bond.

But the loss of his father left Denzel confused,

and he began showing signs that he might join

the bad boys of the neighborhood

that his parents tried so hard to keep him away from.

He rebelled violently,

and began getting into fights at school.

Concerned for his future,

Denzel's mother sent him away

to the Oakland Academy Boarding School

to straighten him out.

It was a prep school

made up of mostly rich White kids in upstate New York.

- He ended up attending a military school,

which was quite a different environment, I think,

from how a lot of actors spend their early years,

but also I think probably helped instill

this real discipline within him

that we see throughout his career as an actor.

- [Narrator] Denzel was mediocre at academics,

but excelled at sports.

He was a talented athlete with great coordination,

and dreamed of becoming a famous sports star.

But many of his friends thought he'd probably

grow up to be a comedian.

He was known to be a prankster,

fool around and bring joy to his peers,

a trait which he held onto as he aged.

But underneath his funny facade

was a kid who was actually shy and self-conscious

about a gap in his front teeth.

During his boarding school years,

Denzel returned each summer to Mount Vernon

to work at the Boys and Girls Club,

doing for the kids what was once done for him.

[upbeat music]

In 1972, he enrolled at

Fordham University in the Bronx.

He tried pre-med courses to please his mother,

who wanted him to be a doctor,

but he couldn't handle the curriculum

and switched to journalism.

But that also failed to ignite his passion.

Finally, he found his true purpose

when he took part in a theater production

while working at a YMCA summer camp.

Denzel returned to college

that year with a new purpose,

to be the best actor in the world.

(rousing music)

He devoted himself to learning his new craft,

and decided to transfer to

Fordham's theater arts wing

in Manhattan in his senior year.

In his senior year, Denzel landed the lead

in a Fordham production of "Othello."

His performance proved he had enormous talent,

and this was to be the role to change his life.

- Denzel's career began at Fordham University,

where initially he wasn't studying acting.

He had got in with the intention

of doing something completely different.

And he ended up taking some classes

and becoming involved in the drama department,

and developing this real

passion and interest for it.

And he decided to change his degree.

And from then on, it was kind of off to the races for him.

I think that once he had decided

that was something that he wanted to pursue,

he really took to it in a very strong manner.

- [Narrator] He was quickly noticed by several agents,

and was eventually signed

to play the role of the husband

to Olympic gold medalist, Wilma Rudolph,

in the 1977 television movie "Wilma."

- No, I never wanted to go out with no other girls.

[dramatic music]

Not steady.

- That's okay.

You know why?

- No.

- 'Cause I think we're something special.

- [Narrator] This was Denzel's

first professional break.

Denzel landed the role

while he was still a senior at Fordham.

And it was during the filming of "Wilma"

that a pretty young actress caught his eye on set

and the pair quickly became friends.

Her name, Pauletta Pearson.

She had a small part in the production,

but would go on to have an

enormous part in Denzel's life.

Denzel graduated with a double degree

in journalism and drama,

and managed to get into the prestigious

American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

But after only a year,

he left to test his luck in Hollywood.

He arrived with just $30 in his pocket,

and moved in with some

relatives while he looked for work.

The Urban League found him a job as an acting teacher

at a small private school,

but what he really wanted was to perform.

Denzel returned home to New

York where money was meager,

but work was abundant in Black theater companies.

Soon after, he began dating Pauletta,

the woman he met while filming "Wilma."

Pauletta Pearson was an accomplished pianist,

singer, and actress,

and within a year, they shared

an apartment in Mount Vernon.

Pauletta encouraged Denzel in his acting pursuits,

and he drew a tremendous deal of strength from her.

[soft music]

After a successful string of roles,

Denzel hit a six month dry spell.

This meant no work and no money.

Acting may have fed his soul,

but his stomach and the bills

weren't so well replenished.

By 1979, he had enjoyed a brief taste of success.

He was living in his hometown, Mount Vernon,

in an apartment he shared

with his girlfriend, Pauletta.

Pauletta became a partner in his career.

She had been a child prodigy.

By the age of nine, she had performed

as a concert pianist around the world,

and now she put her career on hold

and worked to support them both

while he looked for acting jobs.

It was an uneasy time.

Denzel was ready to quit acting.

He got a job at the County Department of Recreation,

but Pauletta wouldn't let him give up on his dreams.

[soft instrumental music]

Just a week before he was

supposed to begin his new job,

he found out he had won the role of Malcolm X

in an off-Broadway production,

"When Chickens Come Home to Roost."

It paid $125 per week.

Denzel immersed himself in the role.

He listened to Malcolm X's speeches,

read his books, and even dyed his hair red.

- But why do you have to be so (indistinct)?

It looked like the chickens have come home to roost.

What is that? A joke, humor, Black humor?

[soft instrumental music]

For now the nation of Islam

is associated with it through you.

Do you have any idea of the possible recrimination?

- There won't be any recriminations.

Now, what I had said was morally straight,

and sympathetic, to them and to us.

- [Narrator] He did an enormous amount of research

to get ready to play the role,

a practice which he continued

throughout the rest of his career.

Denzel's success at playing Malcolm X

led to another off-Broadway role in "A Soldier's Play."

Critics praised his performance

as a hotheaded army private, and Denzel won an Obie,

an off-Broadway equivalent of a Tony Award.

Success led to more success.

And after several triumphant stage performances

in California and New York,

he made his screen debut in the comedy,

"Carbon Copy," in 1981,

playing the long lost son of George Segal.

- My, what a fine looking boy.

You were right, Walter. I was worried over nothing.

You're just in time for dinner.

Walter, will you tell Maryanne

that we're expecting her?

Roger?

We're having chicken for dinner.

- I just love chicken, ma'am.

- I know you do.

I had Bianca prepare especially for you.

- [Narrator] Denzel welcomed the challenge,

as well, the substantial

money that the film role offered.

By now, Hollywood was beginning to take notice

of this rising star.

But the studio had noticed a prominent gap

in his front teeth, and asked him to get it fixed.

Much to Denzel's surprise,

they paid for his dental work,

and there he got his first taste of star treatment.

- High hopes.

I'm just here for the party.

- [Narrator] He first began

to receive national attention

for his work on the television drama "St. Elsewhere."

The television producer saw Denzel in "Carbon Copy"

and "The Soldier's Play,"

and wanted to cast him as Dr. Chandler.

(uplifting music)

Thinking the stage was his true home,

Denzel almost turned down the role,

but the money was just too good to pass up.

[jazz music]

"Saint Elsewhere" broke

the mold of serial television.

Set in an aging hospital with financial woes,

the ensemble cast and controversial storylines

were revolutionary for television.

Although the show was never a huge success

in terms of ratings, the critics loved it.

- So "St. Elsewhere" was a popular American

medical comedy drama, and it followed the lives

of doctors, and nurses, and patients

at this medical facility,

and that's where Denzel got his big break.

- [Narrator] In 1982, during "St. Elsewhere's" first season,

Denzel and Pauletta moved to Los Angeles.

The success of the show

ended their financial struggles.

And after four years together,

the couple married in 1983

and had their first child, John David, a year later.

They bought their first million dollar home

in an exclusive suburb,

and soon after, the Washingtons had a second child,

daughter Katia.

In 1983, Denzel was given a

brief leave from "St. Elsewhere"

to act in a film.

Director Norman Jewison had seen him off Broadway,

and wanted him to reprise his role

as the brash young army private in "A Soldier's Story,"

a film version of the play.

He felt lucky to get such a quality role.

[jazz music]

Once filming was completed,

Denzel returned to "St. Elsewhere."

The show won 12 Emmys during its six year run,

and Denzel was earning $30,000 per episode.

His financial success allowed him

to be selective in choosing his roles.

- He really was able to kind of

show how charismatic he was,

and how charming,

and bring a lot of gravitas to this medical show

that I think really developed a fondness

between audiences and him, and set him up as someone

that was developing a real

following within the industry.

- [Narrator] Now a recognizable

television and film star,

Denzel found roles with integrity.

He portrayed an inspiring

real-life inner city teacher

in a television movie, "The George McKenna Story,"

alongside Lynn Whitfield.

Not long after, in 1986,

a once in a lifetime role came Denzel's way.

Director Richard Attenborough

wanted him to portray

the South African activist Stephen Biko

in the film "Cry Freedom."

- One of Denzel Washington's really early key roles

was playing Steve Biko,

the anti-apartheid activist in South Africa.

And he is, of course, k*lled within the story.

And so, it sets up his career

in a direction that it will go for many, many years,

in which he is the kind of moral center of the story.

His death stands for

all of the crimes and injustice of apartheid.

So it was a really important role

in establishing his star persona.

[soft instrumental music]

- [Narrator] To play Biko,

he removed the caps from his teeth, gained 30 pounds,

grew a goatee, and studied

all the material he could find

about the real life freedom fighter.

The role offered him the incomparable experience

of sh**ting in Tanzania and Zimbabwe in Africa.

Denzel was reportedly disappointed

that several of his impassioned speeches

were cut from the film,

but what remained was compelling enough

to prompt actor Dustin Hoffman to send Denzel a note,

which read simply, "What grace."

Denzel believed that the film

would also help to raise awareness

for racial and social issues in the United States.

- "Cry Freedom" was filmed by Richard Attenborough,

who is regarded as one of the great

filmmakers of his generation,

and it wasn't that long after

the death of Martin Luther King.

And this was something that would become

a kind of hallmark of Denzel's career.

- [Reporter] Being involved in a film like "Cry Freedom"

will make the public very

aware of the terrible inequities

that still exist in South Africa.

What about the inequities

that still exist in the United States?

Do you sense that this sort of takes the spotlight

off of problems that are still within our society?

- You mean racial problems? - Yeah.

- No, I think it'll only shine more light on it,

the similarities.

I think the problems here are

more subtle, more advanced.

You know, it's not as obvious

a problem as in South Africa.

You know, you can change laws,

but you can't necessarily

change people's hearts and minds,

and that only comes through time,

and constant pressure and struggle.

- [Narrator] He received his

first Academy Award nomination

for best supporting actor in 1988

due to his powerful performance.

He lost to the more experienced Sean Connery,

who won for "The Untouchables."

However, Denzel did win the NAACP image award

for his role as Steven Biko.

[soft instrumental music]

That same year, Denzel returned to New York

to pursue his dream of acting on Broadway.

He made his Broadway debut in "Checkmates."

The play had a successful run,

but he soon returned to Hollywood.

Although he was recognized as a premier actor,

there just weren't many roles available

for an African American actor at the time.

So, Denzel took a more aggressive approach,

campaigning for roles in the British film

"For Queen and Country,"

and the lighter film, "The Mighty Quinn,"

where he played a passionate Jamaican.

He was happy to have found such strong roles,

but he reportedly wasn't too pleased

about doing the required love

scene in "The Mighty Quinn"

with Mimi Rogers.

Denzel did not want to

embarrass himself or his family,

and he looked so uncomfortable on film

that the scene was cut entirely.

While each project offered Denzel new challenges,

his greatest reward was just over the horizon.

He was about to star in his

most significant role to date,

and win Hollywood's biggest prize.

By the time he was 33, Denzel

had already proven himself

on stage, on film, and on television.

He had an Oscar nomination

and an NAACP award under his belt,

as well as a long string of quality roles,

despite the scarcity of such roles

for African American actors in Hollywood.

In 1989, Denzel made the decision

to portray his riskiest and

most emotional role to date.

It was a complete departure from the clean cut,

intelligent man he had played before.

He played a freed sl*ve fighting in the Union Army

in the American Civil w*r film "Glory."

- In "Glory," he plays a former sl*ve in the United States

in the 1860s, who goes over to fight for the union,

to fight for the northern side against sl*very,

and it is a very intense film

that shows his transformation

from being a rebel sl*ve

to being someone who is fighting

for the higher cause of the union,

and he once again is the moral center of the story.

Because he begins as a rebel,

and he has to find a way of bringing himself within

[jazz music]

the power and the hierarchy of the Northern Army.

At one point, he goes awol,

and he is brought back by the army police,

and he is whipped as a punishment,

apparently the standard punishment for going awol.

But when they take off his shirt to whip him,

you can see that his back is already covered in scars

from many whippings as a sl*ve.

And so, as he's being whipped,

he stares at his commanding officer,

played by Matthew Broderick,

with a kind of intensity and vehemence

that is really his trademark as an actor.

One tear falls down his cheek,

to convey the pain of the whipping.

But otherwise, there's just this amazing intensity

that he brings to the role

- You may commence.

[dramatic music]

[dramatic music]

Proceed.

[soft instrumental music]

[whip slashes cracking]

[dramatic music]

- [Narrator] Denzel brought his family

with him on location to Georgia,

and said it was one of the best experiences

he had ever had making the film.

The depth of his performance was rewarded

on January 29th, 1990.

He won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor,

and in February, a nomination

for an Academy Award followed.

- So Denzel won his first Oscar for "Glory,"

for Best Supporting Actor,

which was his second nomination.

He also beat out some pretty incredible performers

to win the award.

He beat Marlon Brando,

and he beat Danny Aiello,

who had started "Do the Right Thing."

But I think the reason that

that performance won the Oscar

is because it felt like he'd put so much of himself,

and so much spirit and power into the performance.

And I think that it really did feel like a win,

that despite how young he was when he made the film,

he was only kind of in his late 20s, early 30s,

it was something that truly

resonated with audiences

and felt like something new

was coming through on screen.

- [Reporter] Well, one of the scenes

that had to be the toughest to do,

or maybe went through your mind,

would be a scene where you're whipped.

Can you talk? - Not the toughest,

the simplest scene.

The toughest for everyone else that day except me,

because I knew exactly what I was doing

and I had the spirits of all of those people

who had been whipped for real with me.

You know, I started acting, what, 1975.

I was in college, my first acting class.

The teacher went around and asked everyone

what they wanna do, why they wanna be an actor.

And I said, I wanna be the best actor in the world.

And everybody went, oh, really?

Like, who the hell does he think he is?

But not only to be the best in the world.

Who's the best, who's the best supporting actor?

Who knows? But to be the best that I can be.

And this feels like not a confirmation of that,

but I know that I've been working the right way

and trying to do the right

things, and growing as an actor.

I want to continue to grow.

I'm gonna play Richard III this summer the Park,

and that's gonna stretch the heck outta me,

but it's gonna teach me some lessons.

And I may fall on my face, but I'm gonna go for it.

[jazz music]

- [Narrator] Following the Oscars,

Denzel received another honor for "Glory,"

his second NAACP Image Award.

Not too long after the awards,

another exciting event happened.

Twins, Malcolm and Olivia were born.

Washington's skill as an actor

and his popular appeal as a leading man

were firmly established in the 1990s.

He gave memorable performances

in the romantic comedy

"Mississippi Masala" in 1991,

the Shakespearean comedy

"Much Ado About Nothing" in 1993,

and in the courtroom drama "Philadelphia" in 1993.

Other notable roles include

the hard-boiled mystery

"Devil in a Blue Dress" in 1995,

and the military thriller

"Crimson Tide" in the same year.

The latter was the first of several popular movies

he made with director Tony Scott.

During this time, he also frequently worked

with the director Spike Lee,

starring in "Mo Better Blues" in 1990,

"He Got Game" in 1998,

and most significantly, "Malcolm X" in 1992.

- So "Mo Better Blues" is one of Spike Lee's earlier films.

It came just after "Do the Right Thing,"

which was his big breakthrough,

which kind of launched him to the world.

And this was his first collaboration with Denzel.

And it was something a little bit different

after "Do The Right Thing,"

which is a very angry, very powder keg type film.

And "Mo Better Blues" was something different

that I think proved not only Spike Lee's

versatility as a filmmaker,

but Denzel's versatility as an actor.

- Big.

I don't like no static.

You know I'm a peaceful person.

And even though you fired my a*s, you're still my boy.

I look out for your best interest.

When was the last time you seen Clark?

- I don't know. What's up?

Shadow's boning Clark.

- Oh, Shadow.

[moaning]

Oh, yeah.

- Oh yeah, baby, you like it.

Yeah, I'm gonna give it to you.

- He plays this jazz musician

who is incredibly talented,

but also has personal demons that he suffers with.

And it's really a love story,

but it's also about artistic integrity,

which is something that I think Denzel and Spike

have both spoken about a lot

in trying to kind of maintain your artistic freedom

in an industry where that

oftentimes is compromised.

And it was the beginning of this really enduring,

very loving friendship and work relationship

between Denzel and Spike,

which continues to this day.

- What's up? - I got your ticket.

- Okay.

You know that's what I was coming to check on.

- I got your ticket.

- Okay, all right, I'll talk to you later.

- Sit side by side, in the house

- [Denzel] In the house.

- [Narrator] In "Mo Better Blues,"

director Spike Lee wrote Denzel

one of his rare romantic leads.

The two locked horns

when Denzel refused to take his shirt off

during an intimate sex scene.

Again, he worried that his children

may be embarrassed by his work.

Denzel Washington had

shaped his Oscar winning career,

not only by the roles he had accepted,

but also by the roles he had refused.

He rejected roles such as a

small part in Terminated Two,

as it was too small.

He passed on the light story

of racism in "Amos and Andrew,"

and walked away from a million dollar fee

for "Love Field" opposite Michelle Pfeiffer

because he didn't like the script.

But the waiting finally paid off

with a role Denzel Gladly accepted,

"Malcolm X."

[instrumental music]

This role would prove to be

the challenge that he was looking for.

Portraying the civil rights activist Malcolm X,

Washington gave a complex

and powerful performance,

and many believe it to be his greatest

and most controversial role to date.

- So "Malcolm X" is widely regarded as one

of the best biopics ever made,

and maybe one of the longest.

But I think it's definitely one of the most rewarding

films you can sit down and watch.

- These are the questions.

These are the questions you and I have to ask.

How did we get this mind?

You're not an American.

You're an African who happens to be an American.

You have to understand the difference.

We didn't come over on the Nina, the Pinta,

and the whatchamacallit.

We didn't land on Plymouth Rock.

Plymouth Rock landed on us, landed right on top of us.

(audience applauding)

- And Spike Lee fought

incredibly hard to make the film.

Originally a White director

had been chosen by the studio,

and Spike kind of did a bit of a bit of a protest,

rightfully claiming that a Black filmmaker

should get the opportunity to make the film.

And he was instated eventually.

And Denzel stayed on board the project.

He'd been cast before Spike Lee became involved.

And Spike Lee said, the only person

he ever wanted to play Malcolm X was Denzel.

He'd played him before on

Broadway when he was younger,

and did just a phenomenal amount of research

into who he was as a man.

And the result was this incredible epic film

spanning the entire course of Malcolm X's life.

So it really was this attempt to capture

an incredibly important

figure in American culture,

in Islamic culture,

in the liberation of African Americans in America.

The way Spike does it is with such energy

and such reverence,

but also, he is critical at times of Malcolm X,

and he doesn't shy away

from the more difficult parts of his life.

And I think that Denzel brings

such a sense of personality to the role,

it doesn't feel like you're watching

him doing an impression of Malcolm X.

It really does feel like you are watching a film

with the man himself.

And it still is regarded to this day

as one of the greatest biopics of all time.

And I think it is that combination

of Denzel's performance and spike's direction

that means people still love the film

and resonate with the film to this day.

- Pacify it.

Why, you can't even get drugs in Harlem

without the White man's permission.

You can't get prostitution in Harlem

without the White man's permission.

You can't get gambling in Harlem

without the White man's permission.

Every time you break the seal on that liquor bottle,

that's a government seal you're breaking.

Oh, I say it, I say it again,

you've been had, you've been took,

you've been hoodwink, bamboozled,

led astray, run amok.

This is what he does.

- [Narrator] The tumultuous production of "Malcolm X"

was plagued with problems,

and made headlines from start to end.

Director Spike Lee faced heated opposition

from a Black Muslim group,

which felt Lee was not

qualified to tell Malcolm X's story.

And his choice to include visuals

of the American flag going up in flames

in the opening of the film

also rubbed some people the wrong way.

- They flew from LA to New York just to convince me

to change and to take out the

opening sequence of the film.

- [Reporter] So why do you think

it ought to have been directed

by an African American?

- Well, the same reason that Francis Ford Coppola

being an Italian American, the nuances,

the flavor he brought to the "Godfather" trilogy.

[hip hop music]

Him being Italian American, he knew,

he was of that background.

- [Narrator] The film was three hours long,

and even ran over budget.

But despite all the hurdles faced by production,

Denzel remained focused

on his meticulous preparation for the role.

He added to what he had learned many years earlier

for his stage portrayal of Malcolm X.

For inspiration, Denzel drew upon memories

of his father's strength behind the pulpit.

Sadly, Denzel's father passed away in 1991,

suffering a stroke.

It devastated Denzel to see the strong man

he remembered as a young child

lying helpless in a Virginia hospital.

Denzel Washington Sr. died at the age of 81.

Although Denzel had not

remained close to his father,

Denzel Sr. had always been proud of his son.

Sadly, Denzel Sr. never got to see

his son's portrayal of Malcolm X,

a character he drew heavy inspiration

from his preaching for.

[hip hop music]

In preparation for the role,

Denzel also trained with the Nation of Islam,

and he gave up liquor and pork.

To look like Malcolm, Denzel lost 20 pounds,

had his hair dyed red and straightened,

and he interviewed Malcolm X's widow

and two of his brothers.

Malcolm X earned Denzel his third Oscar nomination

in just five years.

But this time, he lost the Academy Award to Al Pacino,

who won for "Scent of a Woman."

However, he did win his fourth

NAACP Image Award for his performance.

But the biggest prize for Washington

was the impact that the film had on young people.

- I've gotten tons and tons and tons of mail

from young people who didn't

know much about Malcolm X,

were walking around with X hats on,

who've taken the initiative to learn more

about their history and their culture.

That's the thing I'm proud of,

most proud of about this film,

is that it made young people,

Black and White, and other colors too,

think about their history in this country

and what has happened, how they've been mis-educated,

and to go and learn things for themselves.

I'm real proud of that fact, as I know Spike is as well.

- [Reporter] What is more important to you,

receiving this acclaim from these group of critics

in New York and LA, or from the audience

that goes to see you, that follows your work?

- It has to be the audience.

But the most important thing to me

is making sure that I've done all I can do

to make the part come to life.

That's what's most important.

That's what I do.

That's what I do.

- [Narrator] But Denzel's string of successes

brought him under increased media scrutiny.

In a Barbara Walter special that aired back to back

with the 1993 Oscar telecast,

Denzel made a televised confession.

He appeared to admit to infidelity by saying,

"Temptation is all around and I haven't been perfect."

- Well, listen, my wife is the backbone of our family,

and I'm wise enough to admit that.

- You speak so lovingly of your wife.

I'm not gonna come back in five years

and find out that you're not together.

[soft dramatic music]

I gotta have a little faith in someone.

- I'd never leave my wife.

Being a star and all of that, temptation's all around,

it's all around, and I haven't been perfect.

I'll be quite candid about it.

- What do you mean?

- Well, we've gone through ups and downs

and we're still together, and we're best friends.

- [Narrator] The press latched onto that,

and rumors of his cheating

circulated like wildfire.

For an actor with an untarnished image,

it was an unexpected and rare admission.

Denzel criticized the press

for making a story out of it.

Denzel was always happy to

stop and talk about his career,

but very rarely would he

open up about his personal life.

He felt betrayed.

Denzel tried to ignore all the bad publicity

and dedicated himself even more

to his career and his family.

[soft instrumental music]

That same year, 10 years after they had been married,

Pauletta and Denzel renewed their wedding vows

while on a trip to Africa.

Bishop Desmond Tutu did the honors.

- You never get to meet my wife.

- Well, very nice to meet you.

We talk about you a lot.

- But now you get to... - Yeah, very nice.

- [Narrator] In 1993, the success of three films

diverted the public's attention

away from his personal life.

He sought out roles that would prove

he could hold his own at the box office,

regardless of color.

In a bit of unusual casting,

Denzel tried Shakespeare again,

in Kenneth Branagh's romantic comedy,

"Much Ado About Nothing."

He had always campaigned for the roles he wanted.

But for "The Pelican Brief," it was Julia Roberts

who campaigned to get Denzel

the part of the crusading reporter.

It was originally written for a White actor,

but Julia convinced director Alan Pakula

that Denzel was right for the part.

[soft instrumental music]

Pakula decided before Denzel signed on

that the love scenes of the book

were not going to work in the film.

This fueled speculation that it was a racial issue,

as interracial couples were

still frowned upon at this time.

The director claimed that race

never had anything to do with the decision.

If Hollywood needed to be convinced

that Denzel Washington could

appeal to a mass audience,

"The Pelican Brief" offered proof.

The film grossed nearly $200 million worldwide,

making it an undeniable hit amongst moviegoers.

But the success didn't stop there.

His next hit was just around the corner.

[soft instrumental music]

"Philadelphia," released in 1994,

marked the first time a major studio

produced a film about A*DS

that appealed to a mass audience.

- "Philadelphia" was a really important

film in the early 1990s.

It was the time of the A*DS crisis.

The A*DS crisis was at its height.

So not only were many people dying of A*DS

and were ill with A*DS,

but there was a huge public panic around A*DS

and how contagious it was,

and how people with A*DS should be treated.

There was a huge amount of h*m* around A*DS,

really outspoken h*m*

in a way that's difficult to imagine today.

We've moved away from that a lot.

So Jonathan Demi made "Philadelphia"

as a way of countering prejudice

against people with A*DS,

and raising awareness of A*DS

as a disease that was

causing a lot of discrimination.

Tom Hanks plays a young lawyer who develops A*DS

and is sacked from his job

by his very prejudiced bosses at the law firm.

- Mr. Beckett, come in.

[soft instrumental music]

- It's good to see you again, Counselor.

Judge Tate, Kendall Construction.

- Innocuous.

How are you? What happened to your face?

- I have A*DS.

- Oh.

- Denzel Washington comes into it as the lawyer

who is initially very reluctant

to engage with Hanks.

He doesn't want to take on the case

because he is prejudiced against people with A*DS,

he has all sorts of assumptions

about people with A*DS

and how contagious A*DS is.

And so, he becomes the kind of conscience of the film,

the public conscience of the

film, who's gradually won over

and takes the case, and learns what A*DS is,

and that it's not that contagious

in terms of everyday contact,

and develops a huge amount of sympathy for Tom Hanks.

They're quite close by the end of the film.

And so, it's really the story of Denzel Washington's

awakening to the crisis, and to h*m*,

and that all sounds very worthy.

But of course, he plays it with

a huge amount of charisma,

with humor, with frankness.

It's a really, really important role in the film,

and an important film, I think, in his career.

Denzel Washington undoubtedly brought

a lot of people to see the film

who would not have otherwise seen it.

- They're looking at Mr. Wheeler, Ms. Cornin,

even you, Your Honor.

They're wondering about it.

[dramatic music]

Trust me, I know that they are looking at me

and thinking about it.

So let's just get it on the open.

Let's get it outta the closet.

Because this case is not just about A*DS, is it?

So let's talk about what this case is really all about.

The general public's hatred, our loathing,

our fear of h*m*.

- Denzel felt he could not

have played the Tom Hanks role

because it might have been too embarrassing

for his school-age son,

although Tom Hanks shared a different perspective.

- If this was 1962 and Rock Hudson

had to pretend to be married

to his publicist secretary,

and Luella Parsons was still

stabbing people in the back

with her newspaper column,

maybe it would be a tough role to take on.

But believe me, in the United States and in the UK,

there is stuff on free TV day in and day out

that make me playing a h*m*

small potatoes in comparison.

- [Narrator] Even so, the role Denzel did choose

was not easy.

He was playing a not so very sympathetic character

who was a good counterpart to Hanks.

The film won Tom Hanks an Oscar.

And although Denzel did not,

the film certainly continued

to raise his prestige as an actor.

The award-winning "Philadelphia" was a hit,

grossing more than $200 million

in theaters around the world.

Following the hits, the

"Pelican Brief" and "Philadelphia,"

Denzel chose another colorblind role,

playing the second in Command man to Gene Hackman

in "Crimson Tide."

Taking in nearly $100 million in the theaters,

"Crimson Tide" continued his run of hits.

[jazz music]

Denzel had a more family oriented movie in mind

for his next project.

His Monday Lane Productions

produced a remake of the

1947 classic, "The Bishop's Wife,"

and renamed it "The Preacher's Wife"

- You ever had your palm read?

Denzel took on Carrie Grant's part as an angel,

and had to do a hard sale to get Whitney Houston

to take on the role of the spirited wife.

Denzel seemed more at home

making a movie with family appeal.

"The Preacher's Wife" was a moderate success,

making $48 million at the box office.

"Glory" director, Ed Zwick called Denzel

back to the military for "Courage Under Fire," in 1996.

20th Century Fox hired Denzel

for the highest salary ever paid

to an African American actor for a dramatic role,

over $10 million.

With his success

came more and more attention from the press,

most of which he reportedly found quite irritating.

People Magazine proclaimed Denzel

as one of the sexiest men alive.

[jazz music]

Denzel dismissed that notion,

claiming that no women ever lined up at his door

when he was a young, man and he must have just aged well.

- So by the end of the 90s,

Denzel had really developed

a incredible reputation

as one of the best actors working of his generation.

He had made "Malcolm X," he'd made "The Hurricane."

He was kind of on top of the world in a lot of aspects,

and was fast becoming really someone

that audiences loved to watch.

- [Narrator] By now, Denzel had become

an accomplished producer and a highly paid actor

in just a few years.

His success and professional

image drew comparisons

over the years to another

handsome African American actor,

Sidney Poitier.

The pair ended up being good friends,

despite never playing in a film together.

"Sidney Poitier told me many, many years ago

that the first four or five movies that you do

will determine how you're perceived in the business,"

Washington said.

The actor then pointed out

that the first movies he ever worked on

meant he was off to the races.

In the spring of 1998, Denzel

teamed up for the third time

with Spike Lee in Lee's tribute

to the game of basketball,

"He Got Game."

In the critically acclaimed performance,

Denzel played a convicted criminal,

a far cry from his usual good guy roles.

In "Training Day," released in 2001,

Washington played a corrupt

and violent police detective,

the performance for which he became

only the second African American actor,

the first being Sidney Sidney Poitier,

to win an Oscar for best Actor.

- In "Training Day," we see Denzel playing

a pretty different character for him.

Up until the point of "Training Day,"

he'd already made this reputation for himself

almost of playing nice guys,

or if not nice guys, very authoritative figures

who were very noble and just.

And now he was playing this corrupt cop,

and not even a little bit corrupt, a very corrupt cop,

who is the antagonist of the film.

And I think this surprised a lot of people,

not because they didn't think that Denzel

was capable of playing such a difficult role,

but because he was so believable and so commanding.

And the film really to this day

is considered one of his best performances.

[jazz music]

- Just throw that in glove box.

- This car is not from the motor pool.

- No, it's not.

Sexy though, isn't it?

So where's the office, back at Division?

- You're in the office, baby.

[hip hop music]

Going up.

[hip hop music]

- [Narrator] In addition to his film work,

Washington occasionally

made time to return to the stage.

In 2005, he starred as Brutus in "Julius Caesar."

Five years later, he appeared

in the Broadway revival

of August Wilson's "Fences,"

a family drama set in the 1950s

that explores issues of identity and racism.

For his performance,

Washington won a Tony Award in 2010.

He later directed and stared

in a film adaptation of the play

alongside his friend and Egot

holder, actress Viola Davis,

and his performance earned him an Oscar nomination.

- "Fences" is a play about a former baseball player

who has become a sanitation worker.

And it's a story that Denzel was very familiar with

because he had played the

role previously on Broadway

and had worked with Viola Davis,

who played his in the play,

and it's something that I think he felt very strongly

needed to be moved to the big screen,

or deserved to be moved to the big screen.

And it's quite a tough watch at times.

I think that Viola Davis and Denzel

are such a compelling presence together on screen.

And it confronts a lot of difficult truths

about living as a Black couple in 1950s Pittsburgh,

and the kind of harshness of that life.

- We're not talking about no baseball.

- Oh, you're not listening to me.

I'm trying to explain it to you the best way I know how.

It's not easy for me to admit

that I've been standing in the same place for 18 years.

- Well, I've been standing with you.

I've been right here with you, Troy.

I got a life too.

I gave 18 years of my life to

stand in the same spot as you.

Don't you think I ever wanted another things?

Don't you think I had dreams and hopes?

What about my life? What about me?

- It really felt like you were watching

these two kind of powerhouse actors

giving their all to the source material.

And I think that directing theater on the big screen

is always quite difficult.

But Denzel, I think,

because he has such experience as an actor on screen,

on stage, behind the camera,

I think he really was the best person

to realize this dream of bringing the film together.

- Some critics have said that Denzel Washington

transcends race, and I get what they mean,

that he's an actor who is popular

and can take on any kind of role

regardless of the race of the character.

But I also think it's important

that he is African American

and he has the stature that he has in Hollywood.

'Cause really, there aren't

that many other actors like him.

There aren't that many leading

African American male actors

who don't play comedy,

and who have the kind of gravitas that he has.

So I think he's a really

important presence in Hollywood.

- [Narrator] After playing Robert McCall,

a mysterious vigilante,

in the action thriller, "The Equalizer," in 2014,

Washington appeared in "The

Magnificent Seven" in 2016,

a remake of the 1960 classic western.

In 2017, he starred in "Roman J. Israel,"

portraying an idealistic Los Angeles lawyer

who begins to question his principles.

For his performance,

Washington received his eighth

Oscar nomination for acting.

He then reprized his role as Robert McCall

in "The Equalizer 2" in 2018,

proving that he had more than the capabilities

to carry a successful film franchise.

- In "The Equalizer,"

he plays a man of extraordinary humility,

quietness, moral centeredness,

all the things that we might expect

from any Washington character.

But we're always aware that

behind that tranquil surface,

there is a man who is capable

of extraordinary violence,

[piano music]

and capable of saving anyone from anything.

There is no corner that he's backed into

that he can't work his way out of.

It's really quite an extraordinary role.

And I think as the film goes by, you just accept that,

that he will always survive,

no matter what is thrown at him, he will overcome it.

And there's a kind of clarity to the character

that makes that believable.

- Is that a Heckler & Koch?

[suspenseful music]

- This? - Yeah.

(speaking in foreign language)

- What is he saying?

- I don't f*cking know.

- Can I see it?

- Oh, you want to see my g*n?

- Yes and no.

- Alright, alright, alright. Whoa, whoa, whoa!

You're so f*cking nuts, f*ck!

- All right, everybody settle down.

- [Narrator] Also in 2021, Washington starred

with Frances McDormand in "The Tragedy of Macbeth,"

Joel Cohen's adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Washington received an Academy Award nomination

for his portrayal of the titular character.

- One of the really remarkable

things about his later career

is that he keeps returning to Broadway

to work as stage actor.

So he's an actor who believes

in acting in that traditional sense.

It's clearly a way of kind of proving your chops

as an actor.

What he could do now as an actor in his 60s

is sit back and take the best film roles.

But he's clearly more ambitious

and more driven than that.

- [Narrator] In 2016, Washington received

the Cecil B. DeMille Award,

a Golden Globe Award for

outstanding contributions

to the world of entertainment.

- Now, it's odd how many of these

immortals of the silver screen, of the firmament,

need only one name

to conjure the gestalt of their great artistry.

In women, it's names like

Garbo, Hepburn, Stanwick, Lauren.

[piano music]

With men, it's Bogart, Cagney, Gable.

Now, you can check in the one-two combination punch

of Gary Cooper or John Wayne, but a solo tag is the norm.

Brando, Clift, Poitier,

McQueen, Hoffman, De Niro, Pacino.

Now the cliche, the list goes on and on,

does not apply here, because it doesn't.

The list is finite, the club is exclusive,

but it includes the actor

who is to being given the

Cecil B. DeMille Award tonight.

(audience applauding)

- [Narrator] He later was awarded

the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022.

Denzel felt no constraints

about his personal responsibilities.

He is known to be very generous

with his wealth and his time.

[soft instrumental music]

- Denzel has become one of the most well-known

and well-liked figures in Hollywood.

I think it's very hard to find anyone

with a bad word to say against him,

because he's such a hardworking man,

and so committed to storytelling and to craft,

but also to helping other actors

and to championing other actors.

If you ever see him interviewed,

he's a very generous interviewee, and very funny.

And he has really managed to maintain

this kind of levelheadedness

throughout his career in

Hollywood, which is no small thing.

- [Reporter] Speaking of actors,

did anything surprise you

about Denzel, working with him?

- No.

I mean, I know his talent.

I knew his caliber of talent.

I've been watching him forever.

So I wasn't really surprised at anything.

I was happy at how generous he was,

and how accessible he was as an actor in the scenes.

It just raised everything to that next level.

- He's been married to his wife for a very long time.

In Hollywood, that is incredibly impressive.

And now we're seeing his kids

come through the system as well

with a love for acting and filmmaking.

I think that that proves that

Denzel has done a lot right

to kind of show them that there's a place

in this world for their stories,

and for them to have the same

love for the craft as he does.

- Denzel Washington is an actor and a star

who has no scandal attached to him whatsoever.

He lives a very wholesome life,

especially by Hollywood standards.

He's a family man, he's a churchgoer.

People who know him talk

about the strength of his faith.

And the fiasco at the Oscars

when Will Smith hit Chris Rock,

it was Denzel Washington

that Will Smith then turned to

and took solace from.

And Denzel Washington not only consoled him,

but gave him a kind of spiritual advice

about what had happened.

That is, when you were at your most powerful,

the devil comes for you and undermines you.

And I think that's how Will Smith

felt about what had happened.

And having Denzel Washington's advice

helped him come through that moment.

- He's also known for supporting a ranger of charities,

such as the Fisher House Foundation

and the Nelson Mandela Fund.

And he really is someone who

cares about using his platform,

but in a kind of behind the scenes way.

He doesn't want a ton of credit or glory.

He just wants to use the

money and success that he's had

to help other people.

- [Narrator] He donated two and a half million dollars

for a new building at the

church he and his family attend.

He also stayed involved

with the Boys and Girls Club of America,

becoming the national

spokesman for the organization

which had kept him off the streets many years ago.

Whether as an actor, producer, director,

or simply as a human being,

Denzel Washington pursued

his goals with integrity,

and a genuine desire to spread goodness

and constantly challenge himself.

- I wish I was the smartest them.

[laughter]

- When the history of Hollywood

is written in future years,

there'll be two African American actors

who really stand out.

One of them will be Sidney Poitier,

who was really the first leading man,

leading man who was African American,

and the second will, of course, be Denzel Washington.

And Denzel Washington redefined

what an African American actor can do in Hollywood.

Sidney Poitier tended to play characters

who did not trouble or challenge the mainstream,

that is White American audience.

Whereas Denzel Washington plays

much more ambitious, challenging roles.

He's not there to make the White American audience

feel better about themselves.

He plays strong, powerful,

at times aggressive, and very moral,

morally upstanding African-American roles.

And I think that's the biggest part of his legacy,

the way in which he changed

what African American actors can do in Hollywood.

[soft instrumental music]

[soft instrumental music]

[soft instrumental music]

[upbeat music]