Denzel Washington is an American actor, producer, and director who has received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, an Actor Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award as well as nominations for a Grammy Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards. He has been honored with the BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Award in 2007, the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2016, and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019. He was supposed to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe Biden in 2022, but he didn't receive it until 2025.

Washington has received ten Academy Award nominations winning once for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a Union soldier in the Edward Zwick Civil War film Glory (1989), and Best Actor for playing a corrupt cop in Antoine Fuqua's crime thriller Training Day (2001). He was Oscar-nominated for playing Steve Biko in the historical epic Cry Freedom (1987), the title role in the biographical drama Malcolm X (1992), Rubin Carter in the sports drama The Hurricane (1999), an Airline pilot fighting substance abuse in Flight (2012), a working class family man in the period drama Fences (2015), a Los Angeles lawyer in the legal drama Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017), and Macbeth in the thriller The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021). Washington was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture as a producer for Fences.

Washington is one of nine actors who has been nominated for an acting Academy Award in five different decades (1980s, '90s. 2000s, '10s and '20s), joining Laurence Olivier, Katharine Hepburn, Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, Michael Caine, Meryl Streep, Frances McDormand and Robert De Niro. He has received nine Golden Globe Award nominations winning twice for his performances in Glory (1989) and The Hurricane (1999). He has also received seven Screen Actors Guild Award nominations winning for Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the film adaptation of Fences (2015). He has been nominated for 11 Golden Globe Awards winning thrice including for the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

For his work on stage he received the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as a disillusioned working class father in the Broadway revival of the August Wilson play Fences (2010). He was Tony-nominated for playing the lead in the revival of the Eugene O'Neill play The Iceman Cometh (2018). He was Primetime Emmy Award-nominated for his work with documentary series on the baseball player Hank Aaron and photographer Gordon Parks. He was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for the folk tale, John Henry in 1996.

Major associations Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1988 Best Supporting Actor Cry Freedom 1990 Glory 1993 Best Actor Malcolm X 2000 The Hurricane 2002 Training Day 2013 Flight 2017 Fences Best Picture 2018 Best Actor Roman J. Israel, Esq. 2022 The Tragedy of Macbeth

Actor Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2000Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading Role The Hurricane 2002 Training Day 2008 Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture American Gangster 2013Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading Role Flight 2017 Fences Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture 2018Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading Role Roman J. Israel, Esq. 2022 The Tragedy of Macbeth Critics' Choice Awards Critics' Choice Movie Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2003 Freedom Award Antwone Fisher 2013 Best Actor Flight 2016 Best Director Fences Best Actor Best Acting Ensemble 2022 Best Actor The Tragedy of Macbeth 2025 Best Supporting Actor Gladiator II

Primetime Emmy Awards Primetime Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1995 Outstanding Informational Series or Special Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream 2001 Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks

Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1988 Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama Cry Freedom 1990 Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Glory 1993 Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama Malcolm X 2000 The Hurricane 2002 Training Day 2008 American Gangster 2013 Flight 2016Cecil B. DeMille Award 2017Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama Fences 2018 Roman J. Israel, Esq. 2022 The Tragedy of Macbeth 2025Best Supporting Actor – Motion PictureGladiator II

Grammy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1996 Best Spoken Word Album for Children John Henry

Tony Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2010Best Leading Actor in a Play Fences 2018 The Iceman Cometh

Critics awards Organizations Year Category Work Result African-American Film Critics Association 2012 Best Actor Flight 2016 Fences Alliance of Women Film Journalists 2016 Best Actor Fences 2021 The Tragedy of Macbeth 2025 Best Supporting Actor Gladiator II Austin Film Critics Association 2021 Best Actor The Tragedy of Macbeth Black Film Critics Circle 2016 Best Actor Fences Boston Society of Film Critics 1992 Best Actor Malcolm X 2001 Training Day Central Ohio Film Critics Association 2016 Best Actor Fences Chicago Film Critics Association 1989 Best Supporting Actor Glory 1992 Best Actor Malcolm X 1995 Devil in a Blue Dress 1996 Courage Under Fire 1999 The Hurricane 2001 Training Day 2012 Flight 2016 Fences Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association 1992 Best Actor Malcolm X 2001 Training Day 2012 Flight 2016 Fences 2021 The Tragedy of Macbeth Houston Film Critics Society 2012Best Actor Flight 2016 Fences 2021 The Tragedy of Macbeth Kansas City Film Critics Circle 1989 Best Supporting Actor Glory 1992 Best Actor Malcolm X 2001 Training Day Los Angeles Film Critics Association 2001 Best Actor Training Day National Society of Film Critics 1989 Best Supporting Actor Glory 2016 Best Actor Flight New York Film Critics Circle 1989 Best Supporting Actor Glory 1992 Best Actor Malcolm X 2001 Training Day Online Film Critics Society 2001 Best Actor Training Day 2012 Flight 2016 Fences Phoenix Film Critics Society 2002 Best Director Antwone Fisher San Francisco Film Critics Circle 2016 Best Actor Fences 2021 The Tragedy of Macbeth Southeastern Film Critics Association 1992 Best Actor Malcolm X 1996 Best Actor Courage Under Fire St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association 2012 Best Actor Flight 2021 The Tragedy of Macbeth Toronto Film Critics Association 2021 Best Actor The Tragedy of Macbeth Vancouver Film Critics Circle 2016 Best Actor Flight 2021 The Tragedy of Macbeth Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 2002 Best Director Antwone Fisher 2012 Best Actor Flight 2016 Fences 2021 The Tragedy of Macbeth

Miscellaneous awards Organizations Year Category Work Result AACTA International Awards 2012 Best Actor Flight 2016 Fences 2022 The Tragedy of Macbeth 2025 Best Supporting Actor Gladiator II AARP Annual Movies for Grownups Awards 2012 Best Actor Flight 2016 Fences 2021 The Tragedy of Macbeth 2025 Best Supporting Actor Gladiator II American Film Institute 2002 Actor of the Year – Male – Movies Training Day Berlin International Film Festival1993 Silver Bear for Best Actor Malcolm X 2000 The Hurricane Black Reel Awards 2000 Outstanding Actor The Hurricane 2001 Remember the Titans 2002 Training Day 2003 John Q Outstanding Director Antwone Fisher Outstanding Supporting Actor 2004 Outstanding Actor Out of Time 2007 Inside Man 2013 Flight 2015 The Equalizer 2017 Outstanding Director Fences Outstanding Actor The Magnificent Seven 2018 Roman J. Israel, Esq. 2022 The Tragedy of Macbeth 2025 Outstanding Supporting Performance Gladiator II 2026 Outstanding Lead Performance Highest 2 Lowest Jupiter Award 2005 Best International Actor The Manchurian Candidate 2016 The Magnificent Seven MTV Movie & TV Awards 1993 Best Performance – Male Malcolm X 1994 Most Desirable Male The Pelican Brief Best On-Screen Duo Philadelphia 1996 Best Performance – Male Crimson Tide 2002 Best Villain Training Day 2008 Best Performance – Male American Gangster Best Villain 2013 Best WTF Moment Flight NAACP Image Awards 1987 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Power 1988 Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Cry Freedom 1990 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Glory 1993 Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Mississippi Masala Malcolm X 1996 Crimson Tide 1997 Courage Under Fire Entertainer of the Year 1999 Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture He Got Game 2000 The Hurricane 2001 Remember the Titans 2002 Training Day 2003 John Q. Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Antwone Fisher 2004 Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Out of Time 2005 Man on Fire 2007 Inside Man 2008 The Great Debaters Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture 2011 Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture The Book of Eli 2013 Flight 2015 The Equalizer 2017 Fences 2018 Roman J. Israel, Esq. 2022 The Tragedy of Macbeth Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture A Journal for Jordan 2024 Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture The Equalizer 3 2025 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Gladiator II Satellite Awards 2000 Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama The Hurricane 2001 Remember the Titans 2002 Training Day 2003 Best Director Antwone Fisher 2007 Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama American Gangster 2012 Best Actor – Motion Picture Flight 2017 Fences Best Director 2022 Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama The Tragedy of Macbeth 2025 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Gladiator II Saturn Award 2010 Best Actor

Honorary awards Organizations Year Award Result American Academy of Achievement 2005 Golden Plate Award BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards 2007 Statue 23 San Sebastián International Film Festival 2014 Donostia Award Golden Globe Awards 2016 Cecil B. DeMille Award Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2017 Maltin Modern Master Award American Film Institute 2019 AFI Life Achievement Award Presidential Medal of Freedom 2022 unable to attend 2025 Medal Cannes Film Festival 2025 Honorary Palme d'Or

Directed Academy Award performances Under Washington's direction, these actors have received Academy Award nominations (and one win) for their performances in their respective roles. +YearPerformerFilmResultAcademy Award for Best Actor2017HimselfFencesAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress2017Viola DavisFences

See also Denzel Washington on screen and stage African-American Tony nominees and winners List of African-American actors List of black Academy Award winners and nominees List of actors with Academy Award nominations List of actors with more than one Academy Award nomination in the acting categories List of actors with two or more Academy Awards in acting categories List of black Golden Globe Award winners and nominees List of Golden Globe winners

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