117-505: Nate Parker (born November 18, 1979) is an American actor. He has appeared in Beyond the Lights , Red Tails , The Secret Life of Bees , The Great Debaters , Arbitrage , Non-Stop , Felon , and Pride . Parker's directorial debut feature film, The Birth of a Nation , in which he also starred, made history at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival when Fox Searchlight Pictures acquired
234-502: A BA in Drama and Journalism from Fordham University in 1977. At Fordham, he played collegiate basketball as a guard under coach P. J. Carlesimo . After a period of indecision on which major to study and taking a semester off, Washington worked as creative arts director of the overnight summer camp at Camp Sloane YMCA in Lakeville, Connecticut . He participated in a staff talent show for
351-735: A Purple Heart ceremony, presenting medals to three Army soldiers recovering from wounds they received while stationed in Iraq. He also visited the fort's Fisher House facilities, and after learning that it had exceeded its capacity, made a substantial donation to the Fisher House Foundation ; this program focuses on building and providing homes for military personnel and their families free of charge while they receive medical care. Washington's other charitable contributions include US$ 1 million to Nelson Mandela's Children's Fund in 1995 and US$ 1 million to Wiley College to resuscitate
468-570: A Screen Actors Guild Award , and an Academy Award . The film was nominated for three other Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay , and won Davis her first Oscar, in the Best Supporting Actress category. The following year, Washington starred in the legal drama film Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017). Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote, "[He]'s a star player, styling out his character’s complicated and tricky mix of attributes...However contrived, this character
585-454: A hip-hop take on Romeo and Juliet that got cancelled and then re-released in 2008. Parker's title character, a modern day Romeo , was a Compton youth. Parker's rap performance in the film earned comparisons to Will Smith from Nathan Lee of The New York Times . In 2007, he had a small role in Pride , about an African American swim team. In 2007, Parker played the role of Henry Lowe in
702-552: A 17-year-old single mother. Although Parker's mother did not marry his biological father, Parker had a relationship with his father until his father died from cancer when Parker was 11. Parker's mother's first husband gave Parker his surname. After a divorce, Parker's mother then married her second husband, Walter Whitford, who was in the United States Air Force and was stationed in Bath, Maine . Parker has four younger sisters. At
819-510: A 2008 German-Canadian war film about tunnel rat soldiers during the Vietnam War . The film stars Michael Paré , Brandon Fobbs , and Wilson Bethel , and was written and directed by Uwe Boll . In 2008's The Secret Life of Bees , Parker played the good-hearted love interest of Alicia Keys ' character. Parker's character has to deal with the challenges of spurned love. The movie was written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood , and based on
936-604: A Broadway revival of Eugene O'Neill 's The Iceman Cometh . The production, directed by George C. Wolfe , began regular performances April 26 and ran for 14 weeks. Washington received positive reviews with Alexis Soloski of The Guardian writing, "For most of it, Washington is playing Washington, letting his good looks and irrepressible charm do most of the character work, though the play’s most exciting moments are when he lets that charm falter (something he’s also been exploring in his recent film work, too) showing something uglier and more ravaged underneath." In 2020, he produced
1053-535: A Brooklyn initiative called Leadership and Literacy through Debate. The Nate Parker Foundation was founded in 2015 and is based in Brooklyn, New York. In 2016, the foundation established the Nate Parker Summer Film Institute at Wiley College which was held yearly to use film as a medium of social transformation with 31 students who are either from Africa or of African descent . The foundation received
1170-465: A Nation , which was also the directorial debut of Parker. Beyond the Lights Beyond the Lights is a 2014 American romantic drama film written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood . The film stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw , Nate Parker , Minnie Driver , Machine Gun Kelly , and Danny Glover . The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2014, and
1287-413: A confident grasp of cinematic narrative in a hearty meat-and-potatoes style. But the most remarkable aspect of his behind-the-camera debut is his brilliantly surefooted handling of actors." He also praised his acting adding, "[He] is so sensitively reactive that his performance seems more lived than acted". Between 2003 and 2004, Washington appeared in a series of thrillers that performed generally well at
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#17328511257011404-456: A continuing relationship with Wiley College. in 2008, Parker performed in a pair of low-budget movies: Felon and Tunnel Rats . Despite these early light roles, Parker's onscreen charisma and general je ne sais quoi showed, earning Parker comparisons to Paul Newman . In Felon , Parker played a rookie guard dealing with inner turmoil. Parker appeared as Private Jim Lidford in Tunnel Rats ,
1521-535: A distinguished military career, returns to a civilian life where racism and inner-city life lead to vigilantism and violence. In the summer of 1990, Washington had appeared in the title role of the Public Theater 's production of William Shakespeare 's Richard III . Mel Gussow of The New York Times praised Washington as "an actor of range and intensity, is expert at projecting a feeling of controlled rage". Also that year Washington starred as Bleek Gilliam in
1638-546: A father serving a six-year prison term when the prison warden offers him a temporary parole to convince his top-ranked high-school basketball player son ( Ray Allen ) to sign with the governor's alma mater, Big State. The film was Washington's third collaboration with Lee. The same year he starred in Gregory Hoblit 's supernatural horror film Fallen (1998) with John Goodman , James Gandolfini , and Donald Sutherland . In 1999, Washington acted alongside Angelina Jolie in
1755-485: A female student worker accused him of exposing himself to her. The student did not go to the police and Penn State dropped the matter. After the trial, Parker transferred to and graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2002, where he was on the wrestling team and received a degree in management science and information systems. In 2012, the 1999 rape accuser died by suicide. In August 2007, Parker married Sarah DiSanto,
1872-452: A flight there and expresses his love for her. Noni performs a song she has written to an enthusiastic audience. She brings Kaz onstage, tells him that she loves him too, and they embrace. On August 15, 2013, Relativity Media bought the worldwide rights to the film, originally titled Blackbird . Relativity Media also financed and distributed the film. Ryan Kavanaugh produced along with Stephanie Allain . On December 6, 2013, Relativity set
1989-544: A native of Erie, Pennsylvania , whom he met while they were attending Penn State. They were married in Erie's Frontier Park. The couple has three daughters in addition to two more daughters Parker had from previous relationships. Parker has said that he considers himself a Christian, and that he grew up in the church. According to a DNA analysis, some of Parker's ancestry is from the Tikar people of modern-day Cameroon . Nate Parker
2106-517: A nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . In 1989, Washington won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a defiant, self-possessed ex-slave soldier in the film Glory . That same year, he appeared in the film The Mighty Quinn ; and in For Queen and Country , where he played the conflicted and disillusioned Reuben James, a British soldier who, despite
2223-634: A novelist with writer's block in the 2014 film About Alex as one of the more real performances in the film despite the "wrote" feel to the emotional developments. Mike D'Angelo of The A.V. Club also found the crises and conflicts that Parker's character was involved in to be petty. Parker's independent short film #AmeriCan was nominated in the Outstanding Independent Short category at the Black Reel Awards of 2015 and won. That same year, Parker reunited with Prince-Blythewood, playing
2340-530: A penetrating portrait of life at its most extreme. He takes the viewer into the mind of a man experiencing confinement and physical deprivation. More profoundly, he shows what it's like to deal every day with the torments of wild rage and impotence, despair and hope." In 2000, he portrayed Herman Boone , the high school football coach in the Disney sports drama film Remember the Titans which grossed over US$ 100 million in
2457-614: A plane crash. He co-starred with Ryan Reynolds in Safe House , where he prepared for his role by subjecting himself to a torture session that included waterboarding . In 2013, Washington starred in 2 Guns , alongside Mark Wahlberg . From April to June 2014, Washington played the leading role in the Broadway production of Lorraine Hansberry 's classic drama A Raisin in the Sun , directed by Kenny Leon . The show received positive reviews and won
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#17328511257012574-601: A producer of The Piano Lesson , the Netflix film adaptation of the August Wilson play of the same name starring John David Washington , Danielle Deadwyler , and Samuel L. Jackson . Washington was also cast as Carthaginian general Hannibal in an upcoming Netflix film; the decision was controversial in Tunisia . In 2024, Washington was set to reunite with Spike Lee on the police procedural drama film High and Low ,
2691-596: A professional acting career. Washington spent the summer of 1976 in St. Mary's City, Maryland , in summer stock theater performing Wings of the Morning , the Maryland State play, which was written for him by incorporating an African-American character/narrator based loosely on the historical figure from early colonial Maryland, Mathias de Sousa . Shortly after graduating from Fordham, Washington made his screen acting debut in
2808-519: A program called Peace4Kids, which is a program for foster youths and underprivileged youth in South Los Angeles, California where kids are involved in daily activities that stimulate and nurture creativity and intellect. Parker has coached a wrestling team of 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds at Rosemead High School and has assisted in coaching wrestling at Rio Hondo College . Inspired by his experience with The Great Debaters , Parker began working with
2925-572: A rapper. Principal photography commenced on August 21, 2013, in Los Angeles . Relativity Music Group released a soundtrack album for the film on November 10, 2014, which features the original song " Grateful ", written by Diane Warren and performed by Rita Ora . Three songs featured in the film but absent from the soundtrack are Beyoncé 's " Drunk in Love ," India.Arie 's "I Am Light" and Amel Larrieux 's "Don't Let Me Down". On Rotten Tomatoes ,
3042-514: A rare villainous role; he doesn't look, sound or move like his usual likable characters...he's like a monster from a horror film, unkillable and implacable." Washington won an Academy Award for Best Actor becoming the second African-American actor to win the category after Poitier, who was presented with an Honorary Academy Award the same night. He also received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and
3159-453: A remake of the 1960 western film of the same name , alongside Chris Pratt , Ethan Hawke , Vincent D'Onofrio , Lee Byung-hun , Manuel Garcia-Rulfo , Martin Sensmeier , Haley Bennett , and Peter Sarsgaard . Principal photography began on May 18, 2015, in north Baton Rouge, Louisiana . The film premiered on September 8 at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival , and was released in
3276-421: A remake of the 1963 Akira Kurosawa film of the same name . The film will be a joint production with A24 and Apple TV+ and will also star Jeffrey Wright and Ilfenesh Hadera . That same year, it was announced that Washington would return to Broadway portraying the title role in a revival of William Shakespeare 's play Othello starring opposite Jake Gyllenhaal as Iago . The production will start in
3393-519: A role that, in another era, might have been played by the likes of a Montgomery Clift or William Holden ." In 1996, he starred alongside Whitney Houston , and Courtney B. Vance in the romantic comedy The Preacher's Wife directed by Penny Marshall . The film is a remake of the 1947 film The Bishop's Wife starring Cary Grant , Loretta Young , and David Niven . In 1998, Washington starred in Spike Lee's film He Got Game . Washington played
3510-425: A short film called #AmeriCAN, which featured La La Anthony and is a thought piece about growing up as a young black person in a racially divided America. For over seven years, Parker worked on making a film based on the life of Nat Turner . In 2014, he announced that he had funding and was working on assembling his team, and that the film would be called The Birth of a Nation , in an ironic reappropriation of
3627-514: A six-month to one-year prison sentence in 2001, later raised to two to four years per state sentencing guidelines. His conviction was later overturned on appeal. The accuser dropped out of Penn State the following year, in 2000. She later filed a complaint against the university for failing to protect her from harassment, which was settled with Penn State for $ 17,500 in 2002. Parker was initially suspended from Penn State's wrestling team, before being reinstated in 2000 while facing trial. Within weeks,
Nate Parker - Misplaced Pages Continue
3744-579: A veteran railroad engineer in the action film Unstoppable , about an unmanned, half-mile-long runaway freight train carrying dangerous cargo. The film was his fifth and final collaboration with director Tony Scott, following Crimson Tide (1995), Man on Fire (2004), Déjà Vu (2006) and The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009). In 2012, Washington starred in Flight , for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as an alcoholic airline pilot facing investigation for his part in
3861-495: A web series about a family based in Los Angeles intent on protecting their son, Jamiel Chambers, and his basketball dreams from the dangers of inner-city American life. Parker sponsors scholarships for youth at East Texas Wiley College through the 100 Men of Excellence Initiative. Wiley opened a film school named The Nate Parker School of Film and Drama. Parker has been a supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs of America as well as
3978-544: A whole lot of money in him — sorry. You go into the 'life is too short' category." Noting that the first half of the New York Times review of The Birth of a Nation is taken up with the controversy, this person adds, "No matter what Nate Parker makes, ... this will always be the first paragraph." Other industry insiders note that, "unlike [Mel] Gibson — or Roman Polanski or Woody Allen, both accused of sexual assault (Polanski pled guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse) — Parker
4095-586: A wrestling scholarship in 1999. Parker placed third in the Virginia High School League state wrestling championships as a junior while attending Churchland High School . Parker's mother moved to the Great Bridge High School district so Parker could participate in its wrestling program. He was a member of the 1997–98 state champion Great Bridge wrestling team and was a state champion 135-pound (61 kg) wrestler who placed third in
4212-615: Is a Pentecostal Evangelical Christian and a member of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ , located in Los Angeles. He has considered becoming a preacher. He stated in 1999, "A part of me still says, 'Maybe, Denzel, you're supposed to preach. Maybe you're still compromising.' I've had an opportunity to play great men and, through their words, to preach. I take what talent I've been given seriously, and I want to use it for good." In 1995, he donated US$ 2.5 million to help build
4329-424: Is also Noni's manager) that her record contract is conditional on a successful upcoming performance. However, during the performance, Kid Culprit sexually assaults and humiliates her, claiming that Noni attempted suicide because he'd broken up with her. He tries to strip Noni's clothes off on stage when Kaz rushes in to rescue her and punches Kid Culprit in her defense. Following this, Noni loses her record contract and
4446-426: Is always fully and comfortably inhabited, and Washington brings off the funny moments". While the film received mixed reviews, his performance was praised by critics and led to nominations for a Golden Globe Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Academy Award , Washington's ninth Oscar nomination overall, and his sixth for Best Actor. Beginning March 22, 2018, Washington starred as Theodore "Hickey" Hickman in
4563-432: Is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles on stage and screen , he is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation. Over his career he has received several accolades , including two Academy Awards , three Golden Globe Awards , a Screen Actors Guild Award , and a Tony Award as well as nominations for two Emmy Awards and a Grammy Award . Washington has been honored with
4680-427: Is at a low point emotionally, so Kaz takes her on a trip to Mexico away from the spotlight where they enjoy each other's company. Noni gets rid of her old hairstyle in favor of her natural hair, and a trip to a local karaoke bar leads to Noni giving an emotional performance of "Blackbird." The performance is uploaded to the internet and goes viral, causing Noni's mother and the paparazzi to find her. Macy tells Noni that
4797-428: Is comes from Washington's intense, humane performance and the supporting players' sterling attempts to rise above the stereotypical roles with which they have been saddled." That same year Washington directed his first film, a well-reviewed drama called Antwone Fisher (2002), in which he also co-starred as a Navy psychiatrist. Stephen Holden of The New York Times praised his direction writing, "Mr. Washington shows
Nate Parker - Misplaced Pages Continue
4914-533: Is just beginning his directing career and has not built up an acclaimed body of work that might encourage some to say they are willing to separate the artist from the art." In 2019, Parker wrote, directed, and starred in the film American Skin , which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in August 2019. Following its release, American Skin has received $ 4 million over a fortnight and finished in
5031-520: Is not happy to be forced to lie to the media, and is initially cold to Noni. However, he later apologizes to her. Gradually, they connect and begin to fall in love, despite her mother's disapproval. Noni tells Kaz about the songs she has secretly written, and he is supportive of her creative ambitions. Noni decides to end the romantic relationship with Kid Culprit that her team has encouraged. In spite of her team's attempt to cover it up, rumors persist that Noni attempted suicide, and her label tells Macy (who
5148-571: Is one of Denzel Washington's great performances, on a par with his work in Malcolm X ." At the 57th Golden Globe Awards in 2000, Washington won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for his work in The Hurricane . He was the first black actor to win the award since Sidney Poitier in 1963. Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle declared, "Washington gives
5265-469: Is the author of the book Birth of a Nation: Nat Turner and the Making of a Movement in which he writes about the resistance against oppression. The first half of his book is about Nat Turner's slave rebellion in the 19th century, and the other half explores the historical context of his rebellion and how it is relevant to modern events and discourse. The book was later adapted into a motion picture, The Birth of
5382-627: The Chicago Sun-Times found Parker and his detective partner Elizabeth Banks to have been overwhelmed in their roles. Travers also found the detectivework to be uncompelling. Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter found Parker's performance to have had its moments. Parker played the role of Slim in the 2015 survival film, Eden . The film was directed by Shyam Madiraju, co-produced by Parker, Jaume Collet-Serra and Shyam Madiraju, and stars Ethan Peck , Jessica Lowndes , Diego Boneta , James Remar and Sung Kang . In 2012, Parker directed
5499-466: The New York Daily News described the role as that of a "silver-tongued orator and ladies' man". Other reviewers also noted the nuances of the character. Parker also performed on the soundtrack . Parker and co-stars Forest Whitaker and Denzel Washington were all nominated for the 2008 NAACP Image Awards in the best supporting actor category, which Denzel Washington won. Parker would develop
5616-616: The Philadelphia Inquirer notes that events in the film move Parker with both "resolve and rage": Roger Ebert described Parker's Chavis as "energized and angered" in one of the two main storylines of the film that started with Chavis leading an economic boycott after an adverse court verdict. Parker's character was upstaged according to Scott and Ebert. However, Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune noted that Parker's portrayal infused dimension into Chavis, whose cousin's death
5733-507: The Black nationalist leader earned him another nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor . Also that year, he established the production company Mundy Lane Entertainment. The next year, he played the lawyer defending a gay man with AIDS played by Tom Hanks in the Jonathan Demme film Philadelphia (1993). Sight & Sound wrote, "Casting Washington in the lead guaranteed the film
5850-679: The Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2016, AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022. In 2020, The New York Times named him the "Greatest Actor of the 21st Century (So Far)". After training at the American Conservatory Theater , Washington began his career in theater, acting in performances off-Broadway . He first came to prominence in the NBC medical drama series St. Elsewhere (1982–1988), and in
5967-490: The Denzel Washington -directed film The Great Debaters . The character was based on the real-life debater Henry Heights, from Wiley College . Parker attended a debate boot camp to make his performance more authentic. He portrayed a multifaceted character. Stephen Holden of The New York Times described Parker's portrayal as having depicted a "handsome, clean-cut youth with a lurking bad-boy streak", while John Clark of
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#17328511257016084-472: The Netflix film adaptation of the August Wilson play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom starring Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis . The film was directed by George C. Wolfe and received positive reviews. The following year he portrayed Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon in the crime thriller The Little Things acting opposite Rami Malek and Jared Leto . The film was released during the COVID-19 pandemic and
6201-563: The Ron Milner play Checkmates (1988). He won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as a disillusioned working class father in the Broadway revival of August Wilson 's play Fences (2010). He has also acted in the Broadway revivals of William Shakespeare 's Julius Caesar (2005), Lorraine Hansberry 's play A Raisin in the Sun (2014), and Eugene O'Neill 's play The Iceman Cometh (2018). Denzel Hayes Washington Jr.
6318-599: The Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role . In 2002, he starred in the Nick Cassavettes directed healthcare-themed drama John Q. (2002) portraying John Quincy Archibald. Washington acted opposite James Woods , Robert Duvall , and Ray Liotta . The film was a financial success but received mixed reviews with critics praising Washington's performances. BBC film critic Neil Smith wrote, "What credibility there
6435-607: The Spike Lee film Mo' Better Blues . Charles Murray of Empire praised Washington's performance as a "taut portrayal of the driven musician" and "like all Lee’s film, Mo’ Better Blues is a real ensemble piece, and the standard of the performances is uniformly excellent: but Washington [and] Lee deserve extra plaudits." In 1991, he starred as Demetrius Williams in the Mira Nair directed romantic drama Mississippi Masala opposite Sarita Choudhury . Set primarily in rural Mississippi ,
6552-691: The Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award in 2007, the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2016 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019. He was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022. He is also a 13-time NAACP Image Award winner with four consecutive wins in the Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture award category from 1993–1997 and again from 2000–2003. Over his career he has been recognized by
6669-777: The United States Army made Washington the 2021 Honorary Sergeant Major of the Army at the Annual Association of the U.S. Army conference for his work with the Fisher House Foundation (providing free homes for military families while receiving medical care). Sergeant Major of the Army Michael A. Grinston presented Washington with the award and said that Washington represented everything he was looking for in this year's honoree: humility, dedication to soldiers, and respect for
6786-644: The book of the same name by Sue Monk Kidd . In the 2010 film Blood Done Sign My Name , based on a true story of small-town racial turmoil set against a backdrop of segregation in 1970, Parker plays a 22-year-old Benjamin Chavis . Parker's Chavis was a teacher who had been born into an affluent African-American family and would later become the Executive Director of the N.A.A.C.P. A. O. Scott of The New York Times described Parker as "diffident" and his portrayal as "thoughtful, morally serious". Steven Rea of
6903-518: The time travel movie Déjà Vu released in November. In 2005, he was back onstage playing Brutus in the Broadway revival of Julius Caesar . Theatre critic Ben Brantley of The New York Times wrote, "Washington does not embarrass himself, as leading citizens of Hollywood have been known to do on Broadway. But even brilliantined in the glow of his inescapable fame, he can't help getting lost amid
7020-683: The 1977 made-for-television film Wilma which was a docudrama about sprinter Wilma Rudolph , and made his first Hollywood appearance in the 1981 film Carbon Copy . He shared a 1982 Distinguished Ensemble Performance Obie Award for playing Private First Class Melvin Peterson in the Off-Broadway Negro Ensemble Company production A Soldier's Play which premiered November 20, 1981. A major career break came when he starred as Dr. Phillip Chandler in NBC 's television hospital drama St. Elsewhere , which ran from 1982 to 1988. He
7137-569: The 2014 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. That same year he starred in The Equalizer (2014), an action thriller film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Richard Wenk , based on the television series of same name starring Edward Woodward . He reprised his role in his first sequel, The Equalizer 2 (2018) and the third and final sequel The Equalizer 3 (2023). In 2016, Washington starred in The Magnificent Seven ,
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#17328511257017254-400: The Army. In 2022, Washington received the Presidential Medal of Freedom . Washington has received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards , a Tony Award , three Golden Globe Awards , a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Silver Bears. He has also received nominations for a Grammy Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards . Washington has also received numerous honorary awards such as
7371-714: The High School National Wrestling Championships, while becoming a high school All-American. Parker earned a full scholarship to wrestle at Penn State University . At Penn State, Parker was nationally ranked as a freshman. After transferring to the University of Oklahoma , Parker continued to be ranked as a redshirt junior 141-pound (64 kg) wrestler. In 2002, Parker placed fifth at the National Collegiate Athletic Association wrestling championships and became an All-American at Oklahoma. Following his fifth-place finish, he
7488-575: The Shakespearean comedy Much Ado About Nothing directed by Kenneth Branagh . In 1996, he played a U.S. Army officer who investigates a female chopper commander's worthiness for the Medal of Honor in Courage Under Fire , opposite Meg Ryan . Variety wrote, "All of [the] predicaments are palpably and convincingly registered through Washington’s probing, reserved and sensitively drawn performance in
7605-542: The Titans (2000), Man on Fire (2004), Inside Man (2006), American Gangster (2007), The Equalizer trilogy (2014–2023), The Magnificent Seven (2016), and Gladiator II (2024). Washington made his directorial film debut with Antwone Fisher (2002) followed by The Great Debaters (2007), Fences (2016), and A Journal for Jordan (2021). On stage, he has acted in productions of both Coriolanus (1979), and The Tragedy of Richard III (1990) at The Public Theater . He made his Broadway debut in
7722-579: The U.S. Andrew O'Hehir of Salon wrote, "Washington is of course the linchpin of Remember the Titans ; he's a commanding actor in a commanding role, and as memorable as he was in The Hurricane . Washington starred in the Antoine Fuqua directed crime thriller Training Day (2001) acting opposite Ethan Hawke . He portrayed Detective Alonzo Harris , a corrupt Los Angeles cop . Roger Ebert wrote of his performance, "For Denzel Washington, [it is]
7839-524: The United States in conventional and IMAX theaters on September 23, 2016. In The Magnificent Seven , Washington plays Sam Chisolm ("the Bounty Hunter"), a duly sworn warrant officer from Wichita, Kansas . His character was renamed from Chris Adams (played by Yul Brynner in the original film) to Sam Chisolm. It is Washington's first Western film. Washington did not watch Westerns growing up, as it
7956-417: The age of 14, after problems at home with his stepfather, Parker moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia to live with his maternal uncle, Jay Combs. Combs, a former wrestler, encouraged Parker to join the wrestling team at Princess Anne High School . He then attended Churchland High School and continued on their wrestling team, before moving to Great Bridge High School before attending Penn State University on
8073-446: The alleged rape and its impact on the marketing of the film. The sister of Parker's alleged victim said the invention of a rape scene and Parker playing the avenging hero caused her and her family immense pain. To try to defuse the public backlash, Bron Studios hired The Glover Park Group and Don McPherson to give Parker media training and public relations advice. In an October 2016 60 Minutes interview, Parker maintained that he
8190-432: The black audience that otherwise might not have had much interest in the problems of a rich white homosexual with Aids. But Aids is rampant in inner cities, where it attacks not just gay men, but IV drug users and women." During the early and mid-1990s, Washington starred in several successful thrillers, including The Pelican Brief with Julia Roberts in 1993, and Crimson Tide with Gene Hackman in 1995, as well as
8307-655: The box office, including Carl Franklin 's Out of Time opposite Eva Mendez and Tony Scott 's Man on Fire alongside Dakota Fanning . In 2004 he acted opposite Meryl Streep in the remake of the 1962 film of the same name , The Manchurian Candidate . In 2006, he starred in Inside Man , a Spike Lee -directed bank heist thriller co-starring Jodie Foster and Clive Owen . Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote, it's "flashy cast, clever script and vibrant showcasing of New York City are strong plusses for Spike Lee's most mainstream studio venture". Later that year he starred in
8424-620: The campers and a colleague suggested he try acting. Returning to Fordham that fall with a renewed purpose, Washington enrolled at the Lincoln Center campus to study acting, where he was cast in the title roles in Eugene O'Neill 's The Emperor Jones and Shakespeare 's Othello . He then attended graduate school at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California, where he stayed for one year before returning to New York to begin
8541-514: The college's debate team. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) named Washington as one of three people (the others being directors Oliver Stone and Michael Moore ) with whom they were willing to negotiate for the release of three defense contractors the group had held captive from 2003 to 2008. That effort by FARC was unsuccessful. On May 18, 1991, Washington was awarded an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Fordham University , for having "impressively succeeded in exploring
8658-635: The crime thriller The Bone Collector . That same year, Washington starred in The Hurricane , a film about boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter , whose conviction for triple murder was overturned after he spent almost 20 years in prison. Although less successful at the box office than The Bone Collector , Hurricane had a better reception from critics. He received a Silver Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival for his role as Carter. Roger Ebert , film critic for The Chicago Sun-Times , wrote of Washington's performance, "This
8775-527: The detriment of her happiness and mental health. Noni fires Macy as her manager. Meanwhile, Kaz has begun a political campaign and reflects on whether his career should take precedence over his personal happiness. Inspired by Kaz's honesty, Noni gives a television interview where she admits to having attempted suicide and says she is getting help. Noni prepares for her first live performance in London, and shortly before going onstage suddenly encounters Kaz, who has taken
8892-481: The distribution rights for $ 17.5 million, breaking the record for the most paid for a Sundance Film Festival production, surpassing Little Miss Sunshine , which had been acquired by Searchlight for $ 10 million ten years earlier. The film was ultimately unsuccessful in wide release and did not receive acclaim, after rape allegations against Parker resurfaced. Parker was born in Norfolk, Virginia , to Carolyn Whitfield,
9009-538: The drama The Great Debaters with Forest Whitaker . He next appeared in Tony Scott's 2009 film The Taking of Pelham 123 (a remake of the 1974 thriller of the same name), where he played New York City subway security chief Walter Garber opposite John Travolta 's villain. Washington returned to Broadway playing Troy Maxson, opposite Viola Davis , in the revival of August Wilson 's Fences (2010). Ben Brantley of The New York Times wrote, "Mr. Washington has
9126-476: The edge of his multifaceted talent". In 2011, he donated US$ 2 million to Fordham for an endowed chair of the theater department, as well as US$ 250,000 to establish a theater-specific scholarship at the school. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Morehouse College on May 20, 2007 and an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania on May 16, 2011. On October 11, 2021,
9243-558: The escorts for the World War II bombers in the face of Nazi fighter planes. While Peter Travers of Rolling Stone noted that Parker shone in his role, Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe felt Oyelowo stood out. Although the story is a fictionalization, Bilge Ebiri of New York and Holden note that the relationship between the two is the story's central one. Holden compared Parker's presence to that of Denzel Washington 's. In Arbitrage , Parker's talents were underutilized as
9360-457: The film Beyond the Lights that included Parker and director Gina Prince-Bythewood , Parker stated that in order to "preserve the black man" he would not be willing to act in certain character roles. The video was later taken down and is no longer available. In 2014, Parker also stated he would not take roles, such as gay characters, that he considered to be "emasculating". Kate Taylor of The Globe and Mail described Parker's performance as
9477-461: The film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. The Hollywood Reporter praised Mbatha-Raw's performance as "incandescent" and Prince-Bythewood's script for its "surprising integrity." Hitfix said the film's excellence showed that writer/director "Gina Prince-Bythewood isn't working enough," while Variety called it "messy but undeniably entertaining." Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954)
9594-404: The film explores interracial romance between African Americans and Indian Americans . Critic Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times praised the chemistry of the two leads writing, "Washington is an actor of immense and natural charm, and he makes a good match with Sarita Choudhury". Washington was reunited with Lee to play one of his most critically acclaimed roles, the title character of
9711-483: The film for a November 14, 2014 release date. Three stars— Gugu Mbatha-Raw , Nate Parker , and Danny Glover —were already in the ensemble cast on August 15; Raw played Noni Jean, a new singer. Parker played Kaz Nicol and Glover played Captain David Nicol. On September 25, 2013, Minnie Driver and Machine Gun Kelly also joined the cast; Driver played Noni's mother Macy Jean while Machine Gun Kelly played Kid Culprit,
9828-489: The film holds an approval rating of 83% based on 93 reviews, with an average rating of 6.70/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Thanks to smart direction and a powerhouse performance from Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Beyond the Lights transcends its formulaic storyline to deliver thoroughly entertaining drama." On Metacritic , the film has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave
9945-596: The first grant to make the HBCU Storytellers Project by the Kellogg Foundation’s Racial Healing and Reconciliation Fund in 2017. The grant covered four short documentaries which address racial issues and stereotypes. The first film series funded by the grant, Just Mercy , received four NAACP Image awards , Outstanding Ensemble Cast, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, and Outstanding Motion Picture. In 2018,
10062-471: The fluid naturalness we associate with good screen actors... face and stance alone provide fascinating (and damning) glimpses into Troy’s attitudes toward his son from an earlier relationships". Washington won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play on June 13, 2010. That same year, Washington starred in The Book of Eli (2010), a post-apocalyptic action-drama set in the near future. Also in 2010, he starred as
10179-479: The foundation received funding from the Ford Foundation and private stakeholders. In 1999, while a sophomore at Penn State University , Parker and his roommate and wrestling teammate, Jean McGianni Celestin, cowriters on The Birth of a Nation (2016) together, were accused of raping a fellow student. She accused Parker and Celestin of having raped her while she was intoxicated and unconscious and stated that she
10296-477: The ground. In the present, an adult Noni is a hot new artist who has just won a Billboard Music Award for her collaboration with her boyfriend Kid Culprit and is primed for superstardom . However, the pressures of success cause her to nearly end her life by falling off a hotel balcony. She is saved by a young police officer, Kaz Nicol. Noni's team, including her mother, tells the media in a press conference that she fell by accident. Kaz, who has political ambitions,
10413-417: The historical epic Malcolm X (1992). The New York Times gave the film it's Critic's Pick with Vincent Canby declaring, "In Denzel Washington it also has a fine actor who does for "Malcolm X" what Ben Kingsley did for " Gandhi ". Mr. Washington not only looks the part, but he also has the psychological heft, the intelligence and the reserve to give the film the dramatic excitement". His performance as
10530-453: The infamously racist 1915 film of the same name. In addition to writing and directing, Parker cast himself as Turner. Aja Naomi King , Armie Hammer and Gabrielle Union were also cast in key roles. The Birth of a Nation attracted increased scrutiny due to rumored Oscar nominations, and because the film itself depicts a brutal rape, the 1999 rape allegations against Parker received significant press coverage. Fox Searchlight Pictures ,
10647-415: The male lead in her film Beyond the Lights . He was nominated for a 2015 Black Reel Award for Best Actor and an Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture . In Parker's role as a police officer moonlighting as a bodyguard, his onscreen chemistry with co-star Gugu Mbatha-Raw was praised by Dana Stevens of Slate . Stevens noted Parker was destined for more substantive performances. The story
10764-470: The memoir A Journal for Jordan: A Story of Love and Honor by Dana Canedy . It received a wide theatrical release on December 25, 2021 and received mixed reviews from critics. In 2023, Washington was cast in Ridley Scott 's epic historical drama Gladiator II alongside Paul Mescal , Pedro Pascal , and Derek Jacobi . The film is a sequel to Scott's Gladiator (2000). In 2024, Washington served as
10881-469: The new West Angeles Church of God in Christ facility in Los Angeles. Washington says he reads the Bible daily. Washington has served as the national spokesman for Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 1993 and has appeared in public service announcements and awareness campaigns for the organization. In addition, he has served as a board member for Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 1995. In 2006, for
10998-411: The offer. In 2016, Washington directed the film Fences , co-starring Viola Davis and Stephen McKinley Henderson and based on August Wilson 's play of the same name , with a script by Wilson. Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, Washington plays a former Negro league baseball player working as a garbage collector who struggles to provide for his family and come to terms with the events of his life. The film
11115-818: The organization's 100 anniversary, helped put together together with Daniel Paisner, a book that underscores the lesson: “If you want to change the world, start by changing the life of a child”. " A hand to guide me " features examples from leaders as they tell their life-changing stories of mentorship, when as youngsters they were guided by a caring adult, which shaped the rest of their life, including over 70 of America's leading personalities in theater, sports, business, and politics such as Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton , Whoopi Goldberg , Muhammad Ali , Yogi Berra , Toni Morrison , Cal Ripken Jr. and Colin Powell . In mid-2004, Washington visited Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) at Fort Sam Houston , where he participated in
11232-476: The son of a chauffeur who gets caught in a murder coverup, according to David Denby of The New Yorker . Nonetheless, Ty Burr of The Boston Globe notes that Parker's portrayal of the Harlem native is the only sympathetic character of the film. Travers notes the role provides Richard Gere 's elitist character with his only interactions with a diverse character in the film. Parker's third and final film of 2012
11349-493: The spring of 2025 and will be directed by Kenny Leon , who previously directed Washington in the Broadway revivals of Fences and A Raisin in the Sun . Washington announced in November, that he would be starring in the untitled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sequel , set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . On June 25, 1983, Washington married Pauletta Pearson, whom he met on the set of his first screen work,
11466-752: The streets got them." After Oakland, he attended Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Florida , from 1970 to 1971. He was interested in attending Texas Tech University : "I grew up in the Boys Club in Mount Vernon, and we were the Red Raiders. So when I was in high school, I wanted to go to Texas Tech in Lubbock just because they were called the Red Raiders and their uniforms looked like ours." Instead, he earned
11583-657: The studio releasing the film, went into damage control mode. Union, a rape victim and one of the main stars of The Birth of a Nation , wrote in the Los Angeles Times , "As important and ground-breaking as this film is, I cannot take these allegations lightly." Parker chose to deflect questions about his past legal problems while doing press for The Birth of a Nation at the Toronto Film Festival. Shortly thereafter, Parker and his handlers chose to cut press interviews short when questions came up about his involvement with
11700-794: The television film Wilma . They have four children: John David (born July 28, 1984), also an actor and a former football player, Katia (born November 27, 1986) who graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in 2010, and twins Olivia and Malcolm (born April 10, 1991). Malcolm graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in film studies, and Olivia played a role in Lee Daniels 's film The Butler . Malcolm made his directorial debut with The Piano Lesson , with Denzel producing and John David starring in it. In 1995, Washington and his wife renewed their wedding vows in South Africa with Desmond Tutu officiating. Washington
11817-592: The top 10 on FandangoNow , Google Play , and Spectrum 's PVOD rental charts. Becoming one of the highest grossing titles for its distributor, Vertical Entertainment on PVOD. The Venice Film Festival’s Sconfini Section awarded the prize of "Best Film" to American Skin on September 7, 2019, the first film addressing the racial injustice theme to have won in the category. Parker's next film is Solitary , an American drama film written, directed, and produced by Nate Parker and stars David Oyelowo , Barry Pepper and Jimmie Fails . Parker directed 10 episodes of Baselines
11934-470: The viral success of her performance has caused her record label to reconsider, and Noni agrees to return home. Kaz tells Noni he is not convinced that anything will be different than it was before, and their relationship is put on pause. Noni wants to add a song she has written to her upcoming album, but Macy refuses. The two fight about their relationship and Noni tells her mother that even after her suicide attempt, Macy continued to focus only on her career to
12051-459: The wandering, mismatched crowd and the heavy topical artillery that have been assembled here." Despite mixed reviews, the production's limited run was a consistent sell-out. In 2007, he co-starred with Russell Crowe for the second time (the first was 1995's Virtuosity ) in Ridley Scott 's crime drama American Gangster for which he received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama nomination. He also directed and starred in
12168-846: The war film A Soldier's Story (1984). He won two Academy Awards , his first for Best Supporting Actor for playing American Civil War soldier in the war drama Glory (1989) and his second for Best Actor for playing corrupt police officer in the crime thriller Training Day (2001). He was Oscar-nominated for his roles in Cry Freedom (1987), Malcolm X (1992), The Hurricane (1999), Flight (2012), Fences (2016), Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017), and The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021). A prominent leading man in Hollywood , Washington also acted in numerous films including Mo' Better Blues (1990), Mississippi Masala (1991), Philadelphia (1993), Courage Under Fire (1996), Remember
12285-478: Was Spike Lee 's Red Hook Summer . Parker played a gang member named Box, whose role was not central to the film progression according to Phillips. In 2013, he had a supporting role in Ain't Them Bodies Saints that Richard Brody of The New Yorker described as being a bar owner who is among an "enticing array of characters". The role was minor according to Scott. In a 2014 interview with BET during publicity for
12402-461: Was 14, his parents divorced and his mother sent him to the private preparatory school Oakland Military Academy in New Windsor, New York . Washington later said, "That decision changed my life, because I wouldn't have survived in the direction I was going. The guys I was hanging out with at the time, my running buddies, have now done maybe 40 years combined in the penitentiary. They were nice guys, but
12519-699: Was born in Mount Vernon, New York , on December 28, 1954. His mother, Lennis "Lynne", was a beauty parlor owner and operator born in Georgia and partly raised in Harlem, New York . His father, Denzel Hayes Washington Sr., a native of Buckingham County, Virginia , was an ordained Pentecostal minister who was also an employee of the New York City Water Department , and worked at a local S. Klein department store. Washington attended Pennington-Grimes Elementary School in Mount Vernon until 1968. When he
12636-407: Was hailed as a well-written believable romance with depth by many critics such as Travers and Ebiri, earning an 82% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes . In the airplane terrorism mystery film Non-Stop , Parker plays a computer programmer. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times notes that Parker's talents are well-employed in his supporting role. In Every Secret Thing , Richard Roeper of
12753-563: Was innocent of the crime and that he did not feel guilty about it, but conceded that, from the perspective of a 36-year-old man, he had done something morally wrong. In August 2016, Parker was honored with the Sundance Institute 's Vanguard Award. In evaluating the impact of the public's reaction to Parker's alleged 1999 rape of a fellow Penn State student, a film producer told The Hollywood Reporter about Parker's directing career, "His inability to act like he cared that people invested
12870-479: Was one of only a few African-American actors to appear on the series for its entire six-year run. He also appeared in several television, motion picture and stage roles, such as the films A Soldier's Story (1984), Hard Lessons (1986) and Power (1986). In 1987, he starred as South African anti-apartheid political activist Stephen Biko in Richard Attenborough 's Cry Freedom , for which he received
12987-519: Was ranked second nationally as a redshirt senior. Parker, who was working as a computer programmer, was discovered by Los Angeles talent manager Jon Simmons while attending an event in Dallas with a model friend. Simmons had Parker audition and put himself on tape, and then encouraged Parker to move to Los Angeles where he gradually found work as an actor. In 2006, Parker played the male lead in Rome & Jewel ,
13104-501: Was released in theaters and on HBO Max . Also in 2021, Washington portrayed the titular character in the 2021 film adaptation of the William Shakespeare tragedy Macbeth . He received universal acclaim for his performance and was nominated for several awards, including an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , and a Screen Actors Guild Award . That same year, Washington directed the drama A Journal for Jordan , based on
13221-457: Was released on December 16, 2016, by Paramount Pictures . Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote, "Washington, as both actor and director, gets the conversation humming with a speed and alacrity that keeps the audience jazzed...Washington tears through it with a joyful ferocity, like a man possessed." For his performance, Washington was nominated in the Best Actor category for a Golden Globe Award ,
13338-546: Was released theatrically in the United States on November 14, 2014. In 2015, the song " Grateful " was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song . In 1998 in London , aspiring singer Noni Jean is taken by her mother Macy to a salon to get her hair done before her performance at a talent contest. Noni is happy to win second place for her performance of Nina Simone 's "Blackbird", but her mother refuses to accept anything but first place and forces Noni to smash her trophy on
13455-549: Was the end of the Western era in the movies. Moreover, he and his siblings were barred from going to the cinema by his father, a minister in a church. They grew up watching Biblical films instead, like King of Kings and The Ten Commandments , although he has said that he watched portions of the shows Rawhide and Bonanza . He did not view the original film in preparation, but has watched Seven Samurai . Fuqua flew to New York City to negotiate with Washington, who accepted
13572-465: Was the subject of the film. Phillips noted that the role showed that with the right choices Parker had the potential to be a big star in the future. In 2012, Parker appeared as a World War II squadron commander in Red Tails , a film portraying Tuskegee Airmen . Parker's character drinks to cope with the stress of the fighter pilot lifestyle. In the movie, Parker plays Marty "Easy" Julian who commanded
13689-412: Was unsure of how many people had been involved. She also stated that the two harassed her after she pressed charges and that they hired a private investigator who showed her picture around campus, revealing her identity, which Parker and Celestin denied. Parker and Celestin were charged with rape soon after the incident. Parker was acquitted but Celestin was initially convicted of sexual assault and received
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