UnEmployed: Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington was born December 28, 1954, by father Denzel Washington (minister) and mother Lennis "Lynne" Washington (beautician), raised in Mount Vernon, New York. Denzel Washington has made a name for hisself, without going through the pretenses of having a stage name, he told his agent at the time that, "if you were going to be famous then your name is your stage name".

Washington went to Mainland High school, graduating Class of 1971, then attended Fordham University studying journalism. Washington won a scholarship to the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, and later worked with Shakespeare in the Park Ensemble.While he was undergraduate, Denzel Washington acquired training in basketball from Coach P.J. Caresimo. Meanwhile, Washington worked as a counselor at an overnight summer camp named ‘Camp Sloan YMCA’ in Lakeville CT. He took part in a staff talent show that was arranged for the campers. After noticing his talent in the competition, Washington’s colleague suggested him to try his luck in acting. He took his suggestion seriously and joined the Lincoln Center campus to study acting. At the completion of graduation, he was awarded a scholarship to attend the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. After spending a year at the University, Denzel Washington returned to New York to pursue career in acting. Washington's beautiful wife, Pauletta Pearson Washington, and children; John David Washington, Malcolm Washington, Olivia Washington, and Katia Washington.

Washington's breakthrough role was on TV's St Elsewhere with Ed Flanders and Howie Mandel, where Washington played as the nervous Dr Phillip Chandler. After that he was considered a "prestige" Hollywood actor. Washington is mst famous for his roles as Steve Biko in Cry Freedom, the skirt chasing trumpet player in Mo' Better Blues, the impatient civil rights leader Malcolm X, the homophobic attorney who represented Tom Hanks in Philadelphia, First Officer to Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide, Dakota Fanning's bodyguard in Man on Fire, the cop unraveling a hostage situation in Inside Man with Clive Owen, and the time-traveling hero of Deja Vu with Val Kilmer.

He has won the Academy Award for Actor in a Leading Role, Academy Award for Actor in a Supporting Role, MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, Harvard Foundation, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Drama Film, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Film, MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance, BFCA Critics' Choice Award for Freedom Award , NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor, Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor, Black Reel Award: Best Actor, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor, and the Stanley Kramer Award. He's also directed and producedThe Book of Eli and Antwone Fisher.

Washington is currently working on the movie, Flight, where he plays a pilot that fairly closely lost his license for his being drunk and landing a plane that could've been the death to a plethora of people that was on the plane. Washington's acting career shows the true meaning of the famous cliche, 'dream come true". He proved the myth of the "perfect" actor, as every role he played was different. From the negro soldier in Glory, to the sex obssessed trumpet player in Mo' Better Blues. His career is historic and will never be forgotten for generations to come.