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Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington is often described as one of the greatest actors of his generation. He won his Academy Awards for the supporting grole of Pvt. Trip in Glory (1989) and for his leading role of Alonzo in Training Day (2001).

Washington was also Oscar-nominated for his performances as Steve Biko in Cry Freedom (1987), as Malcolm X in Malcolm X (1992), as Rubin Carter in The Hurricane (1999), as Whip Whitaker in Flight (2012), as Troy Maxson in Fences (2016), as Roman J. Israel in Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017) and as Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021).

The above titles are just a small sampling of the actor’s expansive career across 50+ films and counting. He is known for performances alongside Tom Hanks in Philadelphia (1993), Julia Roberts in The Pelican Brief (1993), Annette Bening and Tony Shalhoub in The Seige (1998), Angelina Jolie in The Bone Collector (1999), Will Patton in Remember the Titans (2000) and so many more.

There's no doubt that Denzel Washington is one of the best actors in Hollywood history. This often shows when he gets to play troubled characters; for one, he famously went off-script for corrupt cop Alonzo Harris' ever-so-quotable speech in 2001's "Training Day." Then, in the 2016 film adaptation of August Wilson's "Fences," Washington starred as the well-intentioned (if distant and prideful) dad Troy Maxson, and he delivered a performance so nuanced it was impossible to fully hate Troy, even at his most stubborn. Similarly, in 1999, he masterfully portrayed the wrongfully convicted boxer Rubin Carter in "The Hurricane" (the rare movie where Washington felt scared during shooting).

Much like many other sports movies based on real-life people and events (including Washington's own "Remember the Titans"), "The Hurricane" took several creative liberties, doing so mainly to paint the picture of a man who consistently dealt with the horrors of racism -- and spent...

When Denzel Washington committed to starring in "Training Day," it must have been a vertiginous moment for the actor. But it's not because the movie itself was a risk, or that he was concerned about his ability to play his role. Rather, this 2011 crime thriller marked the first time Washington played a bad guy -- a fact that made his casting in "Training Day" surprisingly controversial. Having become a megastar, winning an Oscar, and earning the respect of audiences and his peers, Denzel suddenly found himself faced with a significant task: proving naysayers wrong by effectively portraying an on-screen villain after two decades of playing the good guy.

Luckily, the ever-capable star proved he was more than up to the task. His performance as corrupt LAPD detective Alonzo Harris is one of the greatest performances of his career and secured Washington a second Oscar win as a result. That by itself would be impressive,...

Denzel Washington has won two Academy Awards in his career after earning a total of ten nominations. For the film Glory, he earned his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. After that 1990 win, Washington put in his best efforts to win another Oscar. During this period, he almost gave up on his Oscar dream after coming so close to winning the Best Actor twice.

Denzel Washington in a still from Training Day | Credits: Warner Bros.

Washington recently opened up about his feelings during this period, sharing that he was a bit cold towards the Academy. His luck turned around with the 2001 film, Training Day, for which he won the Best Actor award. He became the second Black actor after Sidney Poitier to win the Best Actor Oscar.

Denzel Washington Gave Up On Oscars After Loss To Kevin Spacey Denzel Washington in a still from The Hurricane | Credits: Universal Pictures

Denzel...

Denzel Washington, the acclaimed actor who's starred in everything from Fences to The Equalizer and, most recently, Gladiator II, already has two Oscars to his name. But, the actor recently admitted that his biggest Academy Awards loss hit him much harder than he expected. In 1999, Washington played Rubin Carter in The Hurricane, based on the real-life boxer falsely accused of murder. Directed by Norman Jewison, Denzel Washington's performance was incredible and earned him a Best Actor nomination. But it wasn't meant to be, as he lost out to Kevin Spacey, who won for American Beauty.

Speaking to Esquire, Denzel Washington reflected on the loss and admitted that he had become "bitter" about the entire process of Oscar nominations. "At the Oscars, they called Kevin Spaceys name for American Beauty. I have a memory of turning around and looking at him, and nobody was standing but the people around him. And...

Denzel Washington is looking back on how he felt after losing the Best Actor Oscar to Kevin Spacey in 2000. The Gladiator II star, who had already won one Oscar and earned three other nominations before that ceremony, was nominated again for playing Rubin Carter in 1999’s The Hurricane.

He competed against Spacey for American Beauty, Russell Crowe for The Insider, Richard Farnsworth for The Straight Story, and Sean Penn for Sweet and Lowdown. In the end, Spacey took home the award, though Washington did win the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama that year.

“At the Oscars, they called Kevin Spacey’s name for American Beauty,” Denzel remembers. “I have a memory of turning around and looking at him, and nobody was standing but the people around him. And everyone else was looking at me. Not that it was this way. Maybe that’s the way I perceived it.

Denzel Washington is recalling his reaction to losing the best actor Oscar to Kevin Spacey in 2000.

The Gladiator II actor, who had already won one Oscar and scored three other nominations before that year’s ceremony, received another nomination for his role as Rubin Carter in 1999’s The Hurricane. He was up against Spacey for American Beauty, Russell Crowe for The Insider, Richard Farnsworth for The Straight Story and Sean Penn for Sweet and Lowdown; however, the Academy Award ultimately went to Spacey (Washington won the Golden Globe for best actor in a motion picture drama that year).

“At the Oscars, they called Kevin Spacey’s name for American Beauty,” he recalled to Esquire magazine. “I have a memory of turning around and looking at him, and nobody was standing but the people around him. And everyone else was looking at me. Not that it was this way. Maybe that...

Though Denzel Washington has several accolades to cherish throughout his distinguished career, one loss still resonates with him. The Hollywood legend recalls when he missed out on the ultimate acting award, losing the Best Actor Oscar to Kevin Spacey and feeling "bitter" about it for a while.

Speaking with Esquire, Washington opened up about missing out on what would have been his first Best Actor Academy Award in 2000. His acclaimed performance as professional boxer Rubin Carter in The Hurricane lost to Spacey's portrayal of complex advertising executive Lester Burnham in American Beauty. When the presenters confirmed Spacey won, Washington initially thought people were looking at him surprised that he didn't get the award. At the Oscars, they called Kevin Spaceys name for American Beauty, Washington said. I have a memory of turning around and looking at him, and nobody was standing but the people around him. And everyone else was looking at me.

Denzel Washington revealed to Esquire magazine as part of a new cover story that he got bitter after losing the best actor Oscar to Kevin Spacey in 2000. Washington was already a three-time Oscar nominee and one-time winner when his performance as Rubin Carter in “The Hurricane” landed him in the Oscar race for best actor opposite Spacey (“American Beauty”), Russell Crowe (“The Insider”), Richard Farnsworth (“The Straight Story”) and Sean Penn (“Sweet and Lowdown”). Washington won a Golden Globe for his performance, but the Oscar went to Spacey.

“At the Oscars, they called Kevin Spacey’s name for ‘American Beauty,'” Washington said. “I have a memory of turning around and looking at him, and nobody was standing but the people around him. And everyone else was looking at me. Not that it was this way. Maybe that’s the way I perceived it. Maybe I felt like everybody was looking at me.

Sports movies based on real life often take liberties to make stories more dramatic and entertaining than they truly were. Some of the most beloved sports movies have changed history for dramatic effect, straying from the facts to create compelling narratives. Real-life athletes sometimes dispute the accuracy of sports movies that depict their stories, highlighting the unintended causes of meddling with the truth.

Sports movies based on real life can be even stranger than fiction, but they often change what actually happened for dramatic effect. Sports are a form of entertainment, so sports movies occupy a strange niche. Many sports movies have to take a look behind the scenes to tell a familiar story from a fresh perspective. In other cases, a sports movie can bring a little-known story to a much wider audience. Either way, sports movies have been known to stray from the facts, and some changes have been particularly egregious.

John David Washington might be impressing critics once again with his mesmerizing performance in Tenet, and the accomplished actor is crediting his famous father for the inspiration. Although the two Hollywood superstars share a last name, the younger Washington has really managed to stand out with his own highly-acclaimed performances. Still, as regaled in a recent issue of People magazine, John notes that his father - the legendary Denzel Washington - continues to inspire him as his "favorite actor" and the absolute best in the business.

"I think the best actor in the industry, in the business, is my father," John tells the publication about his dad Denzel Washington. "I'm inspired by the kind of career he's had and what he's had to do. Again, he's been on the frontline for many years and what he's done with it, with his opportunities, I just am so inspired and continue to...

Merwin Goldsmith, a familiar character actor who appeared on Broadway, in films like Cadillac Man and Quiz Show and on the TV series Law & Order and The Good Wife, died Monday at his home in New York City, his family announced. He was 81.

Goldsmith appeared as Judge Ian Feist on 11 episodes of NBC's Law & Order that spanned the years 1993 through 2005; played a bankruptcy judge in It Could Happen to You (1994), starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda; and portrayed the real-life judge who denied boxer and accused murderer Rubin Carter (Denzel Washington) a new ...

Merwin Goldsmith, a familiar character actor who appeared on Broadway, in films like Cadillac Man and Quiz Show and on the TV series Law & Order and The Good Wife, died Monday at his home in New York City, his family announced. He was 81.

Goldsmith appeared as Judge Ian Feist on 11 episodes of NBC's Law & Order that spanned the years 1993 through 2005; played a bankruptcy judge in It Could Happen to You (1994), starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda; and portrayed the real-life judge who denied boxer and accused murderer Rubin Carter (Denzel Washington) a new ...

Three Oscars, Three Golden Globes, a Tony, and a lifetime of memorable performances. Denzel Washington has proven that he is one of the most iconic actors in Hollywood today. With his latest film “The Magnificent Seven” out and his expecting Oscar-contending film “Fences” coming soon, let’s look back at his long career.

Let’s start with this picture of him as a kid that was used in a Boys & Girls Club of America ad, just to show you he was born with that steely-eyed gaze.

After getting started in Maryland and Off-Broadway theatre, Washington got his first major role on the 80s hit medical TV show “St. Elsewhere” as Dr. Philip Chandler.

In 1987, Washington earned his first Academy Award nomination playing the famed South African activist Steve Biko in “Cry Freedom.”

Two years later, Washington was officially a major star in Hollywood when he won Best Supporting Actor at...

A gleeful Julia Roberts could hardly contain her excitement when announcing the Best Actor Oscar winner at the 2002 ceremony. After opening the envelope she declared, “I love my life” before saying the name of Denzel Washington for “Training Day.” Watch the video above.

Washington had presented an honorary Academy Award earlier in the ceremony to his acting idol Sidney Poitier. When accepting his second Oscar he said that he had been chasing Poitier for the past 40 years and he would “always be following in your footsteps.”

SEEOscars flashback: Denzel Washington beams in front of his mother winning Best Supporting Actor for ‘Glory’ [Watch]

Following his Oscar win for “Glory” at the 1990 ceremony, Washington went through the 1990s as an A-Lister making one hit movie after another. He added two more Oscar nominations to his record for the title role in “Malcolm X” (1992) and for playing wrongfully imprisoned boxer Rubin Carter in...

The 90th Annual Academy Awards will take place Sunday March 4th at 7pm Eastern time. Here is the continuation of our overview of the major awards nominees in case you didn’t get to see them yourself.

For Part 1 of our 2018 Oscars Previews, click here.

There’s always a lot of talk leading up to the big day about who will win what awards. We try to make our predictions based on trends from the past, but we can’t help to be swayed by our own personal opinions. Some movies truly strike a chord with us, while others aren’t interesting at all. Furthermore, Oscar films are usually heavy in the drama department and therefore they aren’t always the easiest or most entertaining movies to watch.

That’s why we’re here. Here is your guide to the nominees of this year’s Academy Awards. We’ve compiled the following brief summaries,...

A version of this story first appeared in the Oct. 10 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Screenwriter Dan Gordon has written high-octane action thrillers for the big screen including The Hurricane (about boxer Rubin Carter), Wyatt Earp and Passenger 57, but those pale in comparison to the real-life experiences he has had over the past 40 years as a member of the Israeli Defense Forces serving in six different wars. Gordon, 67, a U.S.-Israeli dual citizen, is still a member of the Israeli army reserves. He returned to the Middle East earlier this year as

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Tonight in Toronto, Denzel Washington and his Training Day director Antoine Fuqua will launch a new franchise, The Equalizer, a drama loosely based on the TV series. Thankfully for fans of Washington’s action work, the film is a closer spiritual cousin to Man On Fire, with Washington playing a righteous character who is merciless on the bad guys. Here, Fuqua, who is also mounting a Magnificent Seven remake with Washington for MGM, discusses the star’s everyman appeal and what makes him capable of so many indelible performances.

Deadline: Watching The Equalizer made me feel like I’d gotten the Man On Fire sequel I never thought possible when John Creasy died after killing every kidnapper in Mexico. The spirit of the movie courses through The Equalizer. What is it about Denzel Washington killing bad guys that makes it feel like Christmas morning?

Fuqua: [Laughs]. I just think it’s...

Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, the boxer whose wrongful murder conviction became an international symbol of racial injustice, died Sunday. He was 76. He had been stricken with prostate cancer in Toronto, the New Jersey native's adopted home. John Artis, a longtime friend and caregiver, told The Canadian Press that Carter died in his sleep. Carter spent 19 years in prison for three murders at a tavern in Paterson, N.J., in 1966. He was convicted alongside Artis in 1967 and again in a new trial in 1976. Carter was freed in November 1985 when his convictions were set aside after years of appeals and public advocacy. His ordeal and the alleged racial motivations behind it were publicized in Bob Dylan's 1975 song "Hurricane," several books and a 1999 film starring Denzel Washington, who received an Academy Award nomination for playing the boxer turned prisoner. Carter's murder convictions abruptly ended the boxing career of a former petty criminal who...