Denzel Washington may be the talk of Broadway right now thanks to his moving performance of “Othello,” but he’s been a household name for over 30 years now. And he has five people to thank for that: his wife Pauletta and four children John David, Katia, Malcolm and Olivia.
Though Washington’s talent for acting catapulted him into the spotlight, it was the love and support of his family that kept him going and served as a driving force for his ascension. Let’s face it, it’s one thing to work for yourself but it’s another thing to work for the betterment of your family and so they’ll be proud of all that you put out into the world.
Thankfully for Washington, he won’t have to worry too much about earning his children’s adoration, love and respect as the veteran actor never shied away from doing what he needed to do to make sure they were taken care of. And while we know he wasn’t the perfect parent, we also know that he was very intentional about making sure he put family first.
So it’s in that vein that we thought we’d take a look at his gorgeous family over the years and revel in how they’ve all grown and evolved. Keep reading to get into the goodness!
Denzel and John David- 1992
In an extreme throwback in the beginning of the video, Denzel can be seen holding hands with a three or four-year-old John David as they sipped on a drink. Whether or not that pose was intentional, we can’t say. But we can agree that the flick was super adorable.
Denzel, John David, Malcolm, Katia and Olivia- 1998
At the six second mark in this video, you can see Denzel and all his children smiling with joy as the movie star had his handprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theater back in 1998!
Denzel and Malcolm- 2004
Is there anything cooler than sitting courtside with your dad, a.ka. one of Hollywood’s biggest stars at a Lakers game? Malcolm was truly living the high life here!
Denzel, Pauletta and Malcolm- 2008
We love a philanthropic family! And we especially love them when they’re intentional about instilling those values into their own children. Way to go, Denzel and Pauletta.
Denzel and Olivia- 2009
Though Olivia’s hair was mostly hiding her face, we can still tell by her smile that she enjoyed being onstage with her father!
Denzel and Olivia- 2013
Just three years before Denzel would walk away with the Cecil B. Demille Awards for his contributions, he arguably had already won big by having his daughter Olivia on his arm all night. We love a daddy-daughter moment!
Denzel and Pauletta, John David, Katia and Olivia- 2016
When Denzel won the Cecil B. Demille award at the 2016 Golden Globes, he couldn’t accept the prestigious honor without his loved ones present. The only face missing is Malcolm but we’re sure he had a good reason for not being there.
Denzel and Pauletta, Malcolm and Katia- 2019
Naturally, when your dad is getting a lifetime achievement award, you’ve got to make sure the family shows up and shows out. And that’s exactly what his kids did. (And Mrs. Pauletta doesn’t look too shabby either!)
Denzel and Pauletta, Malcolm, Katia and John David- September 2024
“The Piano Lesson” made its big TIFF debut with most of the family in tow, minus Olivia. But we know she was rooting for them from a distance!
Denzel and Olivia, Malcolm, and Katia- October 2024
A family that fashionably slays together, stays together! And that’s exactly what Denzel, Katia, Malcolm and Olivia did at this chic Chanel event at the MoMA back in 2019.
Denzel and Pauletta, Malcolm, Katia and John David- November 2024
Most of the family showed up for the Los Angeles premiere of “The Piano Lesson” in November 2019. Olivia was absent only because she was starring in “Slave Play,” on Broadway at the time.
Denzel and John David, Out and About
In this video, Denzel and John David can be seen together at various sporting events like NBA games, on the field at NFL games, backstage on Broadway and more.
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