Denzel Washington’s Son Rebelled Against His Famous Father By Becoming A Professional Football Player

Mar 22, 2022

Denzel Washington is known as being one of the most talented and recognized actors in the entertainment industry. He has captivated audiences on the big screen and the stage, always finding a way to compliment his co-stars while still standing out. It’s no surprise that this star has earned several awards over the course of his career and has made an incredible impact on the acting industry.

Washington’s career first started in theater. He acted in various off-Broadway shows before gaining momentum and landing more established roles. During the 1980s, Washington really began making his presence known through movies and went on to star in plenty of prominent films. Some of his most famous films include “Malcolm X,” “Philadelphia” and “Remember the Titans.”

His career has not only garnered him praise from peers, critics, and fans alike but has led him to his happy-ever-after with wife Pauletta Washington. A talented entertainer herself, Pauletta and Denzel make quite the celebrity couple.

Pauletta Washington was born on Sept. 28, 1950, in North Carolina. According to IMDB, she was born with the surname Pearson. Pauletta is five years older than her husband and very tall, standing at 6 ft and 1 inch. She attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, as well as the prestigious Juilliard School. Pauletta has completely immersed herself in the acting world by not only working as an actress herself but by marrying an actor and being the sister of actress Rita Pearson.

Pauletta and Denzel have four children together, including ex-football player and current actor, John David. Keep reading to find out more about how Denzel is adjusting to his son becoming an actor.

According to The Oprah Magazine, the love birds Denzel Washington and Pauletta Pearson met in 1977. Pauletta made her acting debut in "Wilma" in 1977, starring alongside now-husband Denzel. She went on to work on more TV movies and series throughout her career, including "The Parkers" and "The Watsons Go to Birmingham." She also landed roles on the silver screen starting in 1998 with "Beloved." Her more recent works showcase her talent in a more limited space, with the actress starring in multiple short features.

The couple met on set and hit it off right away. Their acquaintance quickly turned into a strong friendship, something they both attribute to the longevity of their relationship. They were friends before they fell in love!

Denzel and Pauletta tied the knot on 25th June 1983, and since then they have lived in marriage and honored the vows they made to each other. On a trip to South Africa in 1995, they had the chance to renew their vows, and the well-known Archbishop Desmond Tutu officiated the renewal. Denzel once commented in one interview a while back:

"I don't know if it's show business that has a monopoly on divorce, it's just that you hear about it." He proceeded with, "I just think that you have to work at it. Not give up on each other. It's a commitment. It's not all the honeymoon, it doesn't last forever, so you work at it. And hopefully, you're good friends first, that might help!"

Marriage has not been perfect for the couple, as they too have had their dark days in their union. They and their four children, John David, Katia, and twins Olivia and Malcolm, have always managed to go through hard times as a team.

Even though John David started out as a professional football player, he is now an accomplished actor. "(Acting) was in my heart my whole life,” he said in 2015. “But every kid has their rebel kind of thing, so my rebel, I turned to football, 'cause I always loved it too, but this was my thing.”

Part of that rebellion comes from having an extremely famous dad, and that has only gotten more difficult now that John David has moved into acting. “I don’t even know if (people) see me as John David yet. I’m still ‘Denzel’s son.’ I’m always his son,” he confessed. “So it’s like, the day that they start seeing just me is the day that I can maybe better answer that question about celebrity. ’Cause I’m still not out of his shadow.”

Denzel has his own adjustments to make now that his son is acting, like getting used to seeing him on screen. The actor and his family attended a private screening of “Tenet” which features John David. Denzel said: “You know, it was too weird. First of all, we went to Chris’ house, screened it in his theater. So, I’m sitting here now, now I’m watching my son starring in a Christopher Nolan movie in Christopher Nolan’s house. So, there was a lot going on, you know?” 

One of the most striking parts of the experience for Denzel was noticing how similar John David sounded to him in the movie. Denzel shared: “I’m looking at my son, and I’m like, ‘He sounds like me.’ Like, ‘Of course he sounds like you, stupid, he is…’ You know, there were so many things that I was experiencing that… you know, as a father.”

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