Denzel Washington starred in some of the most successful and renowned films of his generation, and his talent certainly did not go unnoticed by critics and his fellow Academy members. The Hollywood star has been nominated for an Oscar ten times throughout his career, scoring two wins in 1990 and 2002. Denzel Washington has played action heroes, twisted villains and everything in between, but the common factor is that your characters are always exciting to watch.
Although the actor has only won twice, the Academy has repeatedly proven that he is one of the strongest contenders in the field. It’s almost impossible not to nominate Denzel when he performs stronglyand this resulted in a great deal of praise for his name. Denzel Washington has nine Oscar-nominated roles, all completely different from each other and exemplary in their own way. However, only seven of those nine made it to the Best Actor category.
7
Malcolm X
Launched in 1992
Washington played the titular character in Spike Lee Malcolm Xthe civil rights activist best known for promoting the welfare of African Americans in the 1960s before his untimely assassination. The film chronicles Malcolm’s lifeexploring what led him to become the celebrity he ultimately became.
Malcolm X is one of Washington’s most emotional and developed roles, as the film takes place during much of the figure’s life. He perfectly captures Malcolm’s wavering mindset at different moments, letting the audience into his mind and expertly navigating the complexities of his character.
6
The hurricane
Launched in 1999
The hurricane is another gripping drama that shows Denzel at his most intimate and vulnerable as he tackles the complex role of Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, a professional boxer facing three life sentences for murder. Carter is undeniably one of Denzel Washington’s best roles, not only because the truth of his character is always kept secret from the audience, but also thanks to his intense physicality.
Washington is not intimidated by the fact that Carter is an extremely talented boxer, incorporating this physical training into his performance and truly capturing the sportsman’s agility and dexterity. It must have been a very taxing role to take on, both physically and mentally, but Washington does it with ease.
5
Training day
Launched in 2001
One of the two films for which Denzel won Best Actor, Training day is widely considered one of the best. The film tells the story of a Los Angeles police officer who takes a young recruit under his wing, but their dynamic becomes complicated when the recruit becomes suspicious of his mentor’s training methods.
There are very few co-stars that Denzel no They have excellent chemistry, but Ethan Hawke might be the best example yet. The pair bounce off each other’s performances effortlessly, creating such a dynamic energy between them that it’s half the reason Training day It works as well as it does.
4
Flight
Launched in 2013
More than a decade after his previous nomination, Washington returned to the Oscars thanks to his monumental performance Flight. The film follows a pilot named Whip who diverts a plane during an emergency, landing it safely and becoming a hero overnight. But the captain’s life turns upside down when It turned out he was drunk during the procedurepotentially putting everyone else’s lives at risk.
Flight is one of Denzel’s most watched films, simply because there is so much nuance and detail in his performance. Whip is neither a hero nor a villain, but rather a fundamentally flawed character who likes to believe he is not. It’s the perfect kind of enigmatic, morally complex role that Washington was born to play, and it felt like a relief to return to form after a series of somewhat underwhelming projects.
3
Fences
Launched in 2017
In fact, Washington received two nominations for Fences: one for his surprising lead performance and another for the film’s production as a result of its Best Picture nomination. The film is a film adaptation of August Wilson’s play.which follows the family life of a man whose lives are ruined by the main character’s grudge and anger at the society he believes has failed him.
Washington’s performance in Fences is everything the audience expects from the actor: emotional, moving, funny, scary and despicable all at the same time, but he can mix all these emotions and characteristics without thinking twice. Denzel’s villainous roles are always fun, and while that’s not strictly true here, it is one of his more unethical protagonists.
2
Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Launched in 2018
In Romano J. Israel, Denzel Washington plays the titular character alongside Colin Farrell and Lynda Gravatt. It’s the story of a controversial lawyer who faces workplace conflict as a result of his unconventional methods, but is forced to set them aside and work by the rules when he is hired by Farrell’s ruthless lawyer.
While the film is certainly dark and grim at points, Roman J. Israel, Esq. is one of Washington’s funniest and most light-hearted roles in recent years. He had the chance to delve deep into this character’s quirks and idiosyncrasies, something he doesn’t always get to do in his more serious roles.
1
The tragedy of Macbeth
Launched in 2022
The Tragedy of Macbeth sees Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand face off against two of the most interesting and complex characters in Shakespeare’s entire catalogue. They bring all the necessary intelligence, greatness and intelligence to these roles that are necessary to capitalize on Shakespeare’s incomparable dialogue, and Joel Coen’s stunning direction makes each frame rich with subtextual meaning.
The Tragedy of Macbeth is one of the best film adaptations of Shakespeare, taking all the themes and ideas from the original play and letting them run wild in the character’s actions and words. The detailed cinematography and purposeful scenography recall Shakespeare’s performative values, and neither Denzel Washington nor McDormand are strangers in delivering their unique prose.