Denzel Washington's Kids Are All Following in Their Dad's Famous Footsteps
Published Jan. 19 2021, 2:47 p.m. ET
With an acting career that has spanned more than 40 years so far, Denzel Washington is known for roles in movies such as Fences, Malcolm X, The Equalizer, Flight, and The Magnificent Seven, just to name a few. And at 66, he doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
When (and if!) he does eventually retire from acting, there will be plenty more Washingtons to carry on his legacy. That's because Denzel has four kids — all of whom are involved in the entertainment industry, too.
Denzel Washington and his wife, Pauletta, have four kids.
Denzel and his wife, Pauletta, have been married for an impressive 37 years — something that's practically unheard of in Hollywood. The pair have two sons, John David and Malcolm, and two daughters, Olivia and Katia.
Denzel Washington's oldest son, John David, is an actor, too.
Denzel's oldest child, John David Washington, 36, also happens to be the most well-known of his kids. That's because he's an actor who has starred in movies like BlacKkKlansman, The Old Man and the Gun, Tenet, and Love Beats Rhymes, as well as in the TV series Ballers. (Fun fact: He also appeared in his father's film Malcolm X back in 1992.) Previously, John David played football for the St. Louis Rams and the California Redwoods.
In January 2021, Denzel was speechless after hearing a quote from John David reacting to his father being named the greatest actor of the 21st century by The New York Times.
"It’s about time,” John David said during an earlier interview with Access Hollywood. “I think he is one of the greatest to ever do it, so it was a very proud moment for our entire family."
After a long pause and nearly tearing up, Denzel said, "Wow, I'm speechless. I forgot what the question was, but I'm speechless. I didn't know he said that."
Denzel's daughter, Katia Washington, is also involved in the film industry.
Although Katia, 33, hasn't appeared in front of the camera, she has worked behind the scenes in the film industry. Denzel's daughter was a production assistant on Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, as well as an assistant to Nate Parker when he directed The Birth of a Nation. Katia was also an assistant for her dad's film The Equalizer and an associate producer for his movie Fences. More recent producer credits include Assassination Nation, Pieces of a Woman, and Malcolm & Marie, per IMDb.
Denzel and Pauletta's twins, Olivia and Malcolm, have ties to the industry, too.
Olivia and Malcolm Washington are 29. And surprise, surprise: They both also have ties to the film industry!
Although most of Olivia's roles have been relatively small, she's appeared in movies and TV shows such as Empire, Mr. Robot, The Butler, and Chicago P.D. She also has an acting credit in the upcoming film The Little Things — in which her father is starring — per IMDb.
“Watch out for his sister. His sister’s a great actor: Olivia Washington,” Denzel said, giving a shout out to his youngest daughter during the previously mentioned January 2021 interview with Access Hollywood.
Olivia's twin, Malcolm Washington, played basketball at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with a degree in film studies. Denzel's son went on to graduate from AFI Conservatory, a graduate film school.
So far, Malcolm doesn't seem to have been involved in anything huge. But definitely keep an eye on his IMDb profile — because we have a feeling he's going places.
