Denzel Washington Trivia Questions

Sidney Poitier won Best Actor in 1964 for 'Lilies of the Field'. Denzel was actually the second, following Poitier's historic win decades earlier.

During college, he took a summer job as a sanitation worker and later said it taught him discipline and humility.

He famously turned down roles in 'The Matrix' and 'Gladiator', but he also rejected multiple superhero offers, saying he prefers character-driven stories. He has zero superhero film credits.

He boxed at the Boys & Girls Club as a teen, but never professionally. People confuse this with his role in 'The Hurricane' where he played a boxer.

He won Best Actor in 2002 for playing corrupt cop Alonzo Harris. He had previously won Best Supporting Actor for 'Glory' (1990), making him one of the few Black actors with two Oscars.

He never served in the military. This myth may stem from his authoritative roles, but he went straight to college and then acting.

He married Pauletta Pearson in 1983, and they have four children, including actor John David Washington.

He directed 'Antwone Fisher' in 2002 when he was 47. He has since directed several other films, including 'The Great Debaters' and 'Fences'.

He has directed only a few films he starred in, such as 'Antwone Fisher' and 'Fences,' but most were directed by others.

He won Best Actor for 'Training Day' (2001) and Best Supporting Actor for 'Glory' (1989). This statement wrongly reverses his wins.

He directed and starred in the 2016 adaptation of August Wilson's play. The film earned him a Best Actor nomination and won Viola Davis a Supporting Actress Oscar.

He is a longtime member of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ and has said he prays before every take, even inviting cast members to join him.

He has said in interviews that he was never formally offered the role, though he joked he'd play a 'blonde Bond.' The rumor is persistent but untrue.

Washington earned his pilot's license and has flown his own plane for years, often flying himself to film locations.

He directed 'Antwone Fisher', 'The Great Debaters', 'Fences', and 'A Journal for Jordan', but 'Antwone Fisher' did not star him.

Will Smith was offered Neo but declined; Denzel was never offered the role. He did star in 'The Hurricane' instead, but the myth stems from a mix-up with Smith.

He played college football at Fordham University but was never a professional. He switched to acting after an injury. The myth exaggerates his athletic career.

His first major film role was in 1984's 'A Soldier's Story', two years before 'Cry Freedom' (1987). Many assume 'Cry Freedom' was his breakthrough due to its prestige.

He has been nominated nine times for acting Oscars but lost several, including for 'Malcolm X' and 'The Hurricane.' He won twice.

He is not a pilot. He flies commercial or charters jets. This rumor likely comes from his wealthy status and film roles.

He won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1990 for his role as Private Trip in the Civil War film 'Glory'.

He was never offered that role. Heath Ledger famously played the Joker, and Denzel has said he prefers roles with redemptive arcs, but this specific refusal is a myth.

He actually studied journalism at Fordham University and considered a career in communications. He discovered acting in a student production and switched paths after graduation.

He has an older brother named David, but no twin. This myth likely stems from his role in 'The Preacher's Wife' or confusion with other celebrity twins.

He won Best Supporting Actor for 'Glory' in 1990, not Best Actor. His Best Actor win came later for 'Training Day' in 2002.

He has only one star—for motion pictures, unveiled in 1987. No separate television star exists, though he has TV credits early in his career.

He directed 'Antwone Fisher' in 2002 at age 47, not 50. The statement is false because it misstates the age; he was 47.

Cheadle was always cast in that role. However, Washington did turn down the lead in 'Training Day' initially, which is a common mix-up.

He won a Tony for the play, but the film 'Fences' earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, not Best Director. He has never won a directing Oscar.

This is a heartwarming myth. Washington did mentor Boseman and helped fund '42', but no evidence shows he paid for his college tuition.

He earned a BA in Journalism and Drama, but after a semester abroad, he switched his focus to acting. He seriously considered being a journalist.

He earned a BA in Journalism and even considered a career in broadcast news before a teacher encouraged him to try acting.

He has directed several films like 'Antwone Fisher' and 'The Great Debaters', but he acts in many more that he did not direct, such as 'American Gangster'.

His first major film was 'A Soldier's Story' (1984). He was in 'Purple Rain' briefly, but it was an uncredited background role, not his major debut.

He actually sought the role and won an Oscar for it. Ethan Hawke has said Denzel was the first and only choice for that part.

Despite rumors, Denzel has never played a superhero in any Marvel or DC movie. He has expressed interest, but no deal has ever been made.

He attended Fordham University intending to be a journalist, but after a professor suggested he try acting, he changed his major and graduated with a BA in Drama.

He studied biology and pre-med at Fordham University before a drama class convinced him to change his major to journalism and acting.

He passed on the Chris Tucker buddy-cop role. Chris Rock was also considered, but Jackie Chan insisted on a fresh face, leading to the casting of Chris Tucker.

He received the nation's highest civilian honor in 2022 from President Joe Biden, not Obama. Obama awarded him an Honorary Oscar in 2016.

He actually lobbied hard for the role of Alonzo Harris and won an Oscar for it. He never turned it down.

Despite starring in many hits, Denzel has avoided sequels. 'The Equalizer' is a rare exception—he starred in two, but that's a reboot of a TV series, not a direct sequel to a prior film of his.

He declined the lead role, which went to Samuel L. Jackson, because he didn't want to follow Richard Roundtree's iconic performance.

He earned his pilot's license in the 1990s and has flown his own Cessna 172. He once flew a sick child to a hospital for treatment.

He actually campaigned for the role and played Mandela in 'Invictus' (2009). The false statement reverses his enthusiasm—he was 54, Mandela was 71 when the film is set.

He earned his pilot's license in the 1990s and owns a vintage T-6 Texan trainer used in WWII. He often flies himself to film locations.

Sidney Poitier was the first to win one, and Washington was actually the second African American to win two acting Oscars.

False. Films like 'American Gangster' and 'Training Day' crossed that mark; 'American Gangster' alone grossed over $130 million domestically, but several exceed $200 million worldwide.

He lost Best Actor for 'The Hurricane' to Kevin Spacey in 'American Beauty' and for 'Flight' to Daniel Day-Lewis.

He learned some Swahili phrases for 'The Mighty Quinn' but is not fluent. No evidence he speaks the language conversationally.

He was offered the role of Gray Grantham but declined because of his commitment to 'Malcolm X'. The part went to Denzel's eventual frequent collaborator, not him.

He has won two Oscars for acting ('Glory' and 'Training Day') but has never won a producing Oscar. He has been nominated for producing but never won.

His father was a minister, but Denzel married Pauletta Pearson in 1983, and the ceremony was officiated by her father, not his.

Denzel does not have a twin. He has an older brother, David, but David is a Christian minister, not a dentist.

He earned his pilot's license and owns a Gulfstream jet. He has flown himself to film locations and even took his family on a cross-country trip.

Despite his film and stage success, he has never been nominated for an Emmy for acting. His only Emmy nod was for producing 'Fences' in 2017.