BWW Profile: Oscar-Nominated Star and Director of FENCES, Denzel Washington

Television, film, the stage- as an actor, Denzel Washington has made an indelible mark in these arenas. His stature as an actor, director, and filmmaker has only been solidified this year with the release of the adaptation of August Wilson's acclaimed stage play FENCES, in which he not only costars with Viola Davis but directed.

For the 89th Academy Awards, FENCES is nominated for four Oscars: Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay (Wilson), Best Actor (Washington), and Best Supporting Actress (Davis). Washington already has Oscars for his roles in the Civil War drama GLORY and the gritty TRAINING DAY.

Washington brought a high pedigree to the film of FENCES. He and Davis also costarred in the award-winning Broadway revival of the play during in 2010, directed by Kenny Leon. Both Davis and Washington took home TONY AWARDS for their acting, and the production won the Tony for Best Revival of a Play.

Denzel Washington has been a household name since he first became known as a heartthrob doctor on the NBC television medical drama ST. ELSEWHERE (1982-1988). Film success followed with work in such diverse films as PHILADELPHIA, MAN ON FIRE, THE GREAT DEBATERS, GANGSTER, and FLIGHT.

His directing credits begin in 2002 with ANTWONE FISHER, followed by THE GREAT DEBATERS, FENCES, and even a recent episode of the hit TV show GREY'S ANATOMY.

But acting and directing were not his first calling. Born in Mt. Vernon, New York, on December 28, 1954, Washington at first studied journalism at Fordham University. He took a break from college and returned to pursue acting instead, and ended up at the American Conservatory Theater. The 1981 film CARBON COPY marked his movie debut, while he began his stage career in Off-Broadway productions.

He made his Broadway debut in 1988 in CHECKMATES. His first Oscar nomination for acting was as the real life apartheid figure Steve Biko in CRY FREEDOM. He would win his first for GLORY in 1989. Other high profile film roles include Spike Lee's MO' BETTER BLUES, and another Oscar nomination for MALCOLM X. His prolific film career boasts more than 50 acting credits, and counting.

He has returned to Broadway several times, in addition to FENCES, in other high profile revivals, such as JULIUS CAESAR and in 2014 as the troubled Walter Lee Younger in A RAISIN IN THE SUN, also directed by Leon.

In addition to directing FENCES for the big screen, Washington has also committed to produce the rest of Wilson's American Century Cycle for HBO. The next play adapted will be MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM.

He has been married to Pauletta Pearson since 1983 and the couple has four children.