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Meet Denzel Washington’s Son John David, Who Left the NFL to Become an Actor and Starred in Tenet

Posted on by angelo

In 2020, John David told People magazine that his father was his favorite actor: “I think the best actor in the industry, in the business, is my dad.”

John David Washington as Joshua in 20th Century Studios’ The Creator. Photo: 20th Century Studios

Early Life of John David Washington

John David Washington’s parents are Denzel Washington and Pauletta Washington. Photo: @johndavidwashington/Instagram

Born on July 28, 1980 in Toluca Lake, California, John David is the eldest of four children. His parents are Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington and actress and musician Pauletta Washington.

Actor John David Washington at the red carpet screening of the film Beckett in 2021. Photo: Getty Images
John David became interested in American football as a youth. After playing for Morehouse College, he was briefly signed to the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He also played in Germany with NFL Europe for the American team Rhein Fire and for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League for three seasons, according to People.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in January 2021, the Californian said he had “always” wanted to be an actor like his father, but that American football was his way of coping with that status. a baby nepo:“I jumped and hid myself in this football character, this athlete, literally putting on a helmet to hide my face, hide my identity.”
Actor Denzel Washington received an AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019. Photo: AP

However, his father is happy that he left American football to turn to acting. He even added that he did not need any help from him: “He’s my son, I love my boy and I’m happy that he’s his own man, that he’s independent,” Denzel said, according to the same source. “He’s really good at what he does, and the fact that he fought to make his own mark, he didn’t want any help from me, I didn’t help him get through it. Ballers or something like that.

From his breakthrough role in Blackkklansman to his starring role in Tenet

John David Washington and Laura Harrier in a still from Spike Lee’s film Blackkklansman. Photo: Focus Features
John David first minor acting credit was a student in Spike Lee’s 1992 film Malcolm Xin which his father played the role of the revolutionary in real life. More than a decade later, he returned to Hollywood and starred in the football comedy television series Ballers. In recent years, he has made a name for himself with films such as Blackkklansman, Principle, Malcolm and Marie And Amsterdam.
Director Christopher Nolan (right) and John David Washington on the set of Tenet. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
His most recent film is The creator (2023) in which he starred alongside Gemma Chan. In October 2022, he also tried his hand at theater, starring in the Broadway production of The piano lesson with Samuel L. Jackson and Danielle Brooks.

His large talented family

John David Washington and his sister Olivia. Photo: @johndavidwashington/Instagram

John David has a sister, Katia, 36, and twins, Malcolm and Olivia, 33. Olivia is also an actress, while Katia works behind the scenes as a producer. Denzel spoke about Olivia’s acting skills in an interview on Hello America In January 2021, he said: “I’m a dad, so I’m going to keep saying it: Olivia Washington is a terrific young actress. She’s a really, really, really good young actress, so she’s coming for her brother (John David),” before calling the job “a team sport in our house.”

Is John David Washington dating anyone?

Hollywood actor John David Washington carries a baby. Photo: @johndavidwashington/Instagram
Despite his torrid on-screen complicity with The challengers star Zendaya In Malcolm and MarieThe couple never dated. Currently, John David has not confirmed that he is dating anyone, but in 2016, he stated that he was “single” on The Ellen DeGeneres To show.

In the same year, in a radio interview with The Breakfast ClubThe actor revealed he’s had two relationships, but also admitted he had trust issues. He felt paranoid that women would only date him because he was Denzel Washington’s son.