Denzel Washington’s Net Worth
Whether he plays in dramas or action movies, most often in military or law enforcement roles, fans always want to see him on the big screen. Like Tom Cruise or Will Smith, Denzel Washington is one of those box-office actors whose films are always among the most profitable. And if we are to look into his accounts, Denzel has already collected $280 million. The fee for “American Gangster” alone was $40 million!
What is Denzel Washington’s net worth?
The American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter, Denzel Washington has a net worth of $280 million at the time this article is written. He earned $60 to $80 million per year very easily in active producing and acting years.
Childhood and Teenage Years
Denzel Washington was born in Mount Vernon, New York on December 28, 1954, to a Pentecostal priest father, Denzel Hayes Washington Sr., and a beautician mother, Lennis. He was the eldest child of the family, and after him, two other girls were born.
He attended Pennington-Grimes Elementary School graduating in 1968. His parents divorced when he was 14 and from then on, he was involved in all kinds of violent street activities. To discipline him, his mother sent him to Oakland Military Academy.
He entered Fordham University after graduating high school and earned a degree in journalism in 1977. After working as an art director in the creative department at a summer camp, he realized he loved being an actor.
He enrolled at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco a year before returning to New York.
Acting Career
After appearing in a few television commercials, he made his film debut in the comedy “Carbon Copy” in 1981. Another role followed in 1982 in the television film “License to K*ll”.
During that decade he appeared in many films, including “A Soldier’s Story” (1984), “Power” (1986), and “The Mighty Quinn” (1989).
His first big break came in 1989 with the release of the war drama “Glory”, where Denzel Washington played the role of soldier Silas Trip. He won a lot of awards for this role.
In 1992 he played the lead role in “Malcolm X”, a biographical drama directed by Spike Lee. For his portrayal of the African-American Muslim activist fighting for human rights, Denzel Washington received his first Oscar nomination.
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The 90s were a very productive decade for the talented actor’s career. He played the role of lawyer Joe Miller in the drama “Philadelphia” in 1993, one of the first Hollywood films to bring the issue of homosexuality, AIDS, and homophobia to the fore.
His most successful film in the 90s was “The Hurrican” (1999) where he played the role of Rubin Carter, a boxer arrested for a triple murder. Denzel’s performance was highly praised and rewarded with many awards. One of his most memorable roles was that of Detective Alonzo Harris in the 2001 drama “Training Day”. This was followed by “Antwone Fisher” (2002), “Inside Man” (2006), and “The Great Debaters” (2007).
Producing and Directing Career
Denzel Washington started his directing career in 2002 with the movie “Antwone Fisher”. Since then, he directed “The Great Debaters” in 2007 and “Fences” in 2016.
Also, he produced several television programs and movies, such as “The Equalizer” and “The Book of Eli”.
Box Office hits
Denzel Washington showed off his great talent in films such as “Courage Under Fire”, “Malcolm X”, “Philadelphia” and “The Pelican Brief”.
In 1995 he earned $7.5 million for the science fiction movie “Virtuosity”.
In 1998 Denzel earned $12 million for each of the following movies: “The Siege”, and “Fallen”. Also, in 2001 he earned $12 million for the Oscar-winning movie “Training Day”.
By this time, Denzel Washington earns around $60 million per year.
Honors and Awards
Denzel Washington received his first Oscar in 1989 for his supporting role in the film “Glory” and the second one for the role of the antagonist in “Training Day”.
The role in the film “The Taking of Pelham 123” (2009), directed by Tony Scott, brought him a nomination at the Black Reel Awards in 2010, the film accumulating significant earnings in North America, for which the actor was also included in a Forbes magazine list, in 2010, as the third highest paid actor in America.
The work done for the production of “Fences” (2016) was crowned by numerous nominations for specialized awards – Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globes, SAG, including the nomination for his performance in the film for the best leading role male. The film was nominated for the best film section at the American Academy Awards.
In 2016, he was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award for his achievements as an actor and director, as well as for his seven nominations, two of which were crowned winners at the Golden Globes.
Real Estate
In April 2022, Denzel Washington tried to sell his mansion in Beverly Hills for $87.5 million. He started building it on a previously-undeveloped lot in the late 1990s with his wife. This is their primary mansion and spans 30,000 square feet.
Also, in April 2022, he and his wife bought an 8,000-square-foot, 6-bedroom condo in Century City, California, from HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud for almost $11 million.
Personal Life
In 1982 he married Pauletta Pearson, the actress, and pianist whom he met on the set of “Wilma”. They have four children: John David, Katia, and the twins Malcolm and Olivia. He tries to spend as much time as possible with his family in the mansion they bought in LA.
He owns the production company Mundy Lane Entertainment, named after the street he grew up on.
Philanthropy
Over the years, Denzel has donated millions of dollars to charitable organizations and financially supported many young people who could not afford to study acting.
Final words
Denzel Washington can be described as one of the best actors in Hollywood, a two-time Oscar winner, director, and film producer. His roles that made history are those in the films “Glory”, “Malcolm X” and “The Hurricane”.
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