Washington (born on December 28, 1954) is an American actor, producer, and director. Recognized for his powerful performances on stage and screen, he is considered one of the greatest actors of his time, with The New York Times declaring him the best actor of the 21st century in 2020. Over his career he has received several accolades, including an Academy Award, Golden Globes, a SAG, and a Tony Award in addition to being nominated for Emmys and a Grammy. Washington has been honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award (2016), AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019, and the 2022 Presidential Medal of Freedom. After training at the American Conservatory Theater, Washington began his career in theater, starring in off-Broadway shows. He was first recognized widely in the NBC drama *St. Elsewhere* (between 1982 and 1988), and in the war film *A Soldier's Story* (1984). He won two Oscars, his first for Best Supporting Actor for playing an American Civil War soldier in the war drama *Glory* (1989) and his second for Best Actor for playing a corrupt police officer in the crime thriller *Training Day* (released in 2001). He was nominated for an Oscar for his performances in *Cry Freedom* (1987), *Malcolm X* (from 1992), *The Hurricane* (1999), *Flight* (from 2012), *Fences* (from 2016), *Roman J. Israel, Esq.* (2017), and *The Tragedy of Macbeth* (2021). A prominent leading man, Washington appeared in movies like *Mo' Better Blues* (released in 1990), *Mississippi Masala* (released in 1991), *Philadelphia* (1993), *Courage Under Fire* (from 1996), *Remember the Titans* (in 2000), *Man on Fire* (from 2004), *Inside Man* (2006), *American Gangster* (released in 2007), and The Equalizer trilogy (from 2014 to 2023). Washington both starred in and directed the films *Antwone Fisher* (from 2002), *The Great Debaters* (in 2007), and *Fences* (in 2016). In theater, he has acted in productions of both Coriolanus (1979) and The Tragedy of Richard III (1990) at The Public Theater in New York. His first appearance on Broadway in the Ron Milner play *Checkmates* (in 1988). He received a Tony Award for Best Actor in the Play category for his role as a disillusioned father from the working class in the Broadway revival of the play *Fences* by August Wilson (released in 2010). He has also acted in the Broadway revivals of the plays *Julius Caesar* (2005), *A Raisin in the Sun* (2014), and *The Iceman Cometh* (2018).