Washington (born December 28, 1954) is a celebrated American actor, producer, and filmmaker. Recognized for his powerful performances on stage and screen, he is often seen as one of the top actors of his generation, with a declaration from The New York Times naming him the top actor of the 21st century in 2020. Over his career he has received several accolades, including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Tony Award along with nominations in Emmys and a Grammy. Washington has been honored with the 2016 Cecil B. DeMille Award, 2019 AFI Life Achievement Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2022). Following his training at the American Conservatory Theater, he started his acting career in theater, acting in performances off-Broadway. He was first recognized widely in the NBC drama *St. Elsewhere* (between 1982 and 1988), and in the war film *A Soldier's Story* (in 1984). He won two Academy Awards, his first for the Best Supporting Actor category for playing a Union soldier in the war drama *Glory* (1989) and his second for the role of Best Actor for playing a corrupt law enforcement officer in the crime thriller *Training Day* (2001). He was Oscar-nominated for his performances in *Cry Freedom* (released in 1987), *Malcolm X* (1992), *The Hurricane* (1999), *Flight* (released in 2012), *Fences* (released in 2016), *Roman J. Israel, Esq.* (2017), and *The Tragedy of Macbeth* (2021). As a major leading actor, Washington also acted in movies including *Mo' Better Blues* (in 1990), *Mississippi Masala* (in 1991), *Philadelphia* (1993), *Courage Under Fire* (from 1996), *Remember the Titans* (from 2000), *Man on Fire* (released in 2004), *Inside Man* (released in 2006), *American Gangster* (from 2007), and The Equalizer trilogy (from 2014 to 2023). Washington directed and starred in the films *Antwone Fisher* (2002), *The Great Debaters* (from 2007), and *Fences* (2016). In theater, Washington has appeared in performances of *Coriolanus* (1979) and *The Tragedy of Richard III* (1990) at The Public Theater in New York. He made his Broadway debut in the Ron Milner play *Checkmates* (in 1988). He received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as a disillusioned working-class father in the Broadway revival of the play *Fences* by August Wilson (2010). He has also starred in the Broadway revivals of the plays *Julius Caesar* (2005), *A Raisin in the Sun* (2014), and *The Iceman Cometh* (2018).