Denzel Washington is an Oscar winner who, with his wife of four decades Pauletta Washington, has raised four children.
The actor's family was by his side on March 23 for the opening night on Broadway of "Othello", in which he plays the title role alongside Jake Gyllenhaal.
In addition to Pauletta Washington, three of the couple's four children -- Olivia Washington, John David Washington and Katia Washington -- attended the star-studded opening night.
The Washington children -- including fourth sibling Malcom Washington -- have followed their dad into acting and Broadway.
The 2024 film "The Piano Lesson" was produced by Denzel Washington, directed and co-written by Malcolm Washington and executive produced by Katia Washington, while John David Washington starred in the film alongside Pauletta Washington and Olivia Washington.
The film was based on August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which John David Washington also starred in on Broadway in 2022.
Olivia Washington opened up in a March 28 interview on "Good Morning America" about how her parents have supported her acting career.
"Absolutely," Olivia Washington said when asked if her parents gave her acting advice, adding that her parents offer both criticism and total support of her art.
"It's a good balance," she said.
Get to know the Washington family below.
Pauletta Washington
Denzel and Pauletta Washington, both actors, first met in the 1970s and starred in the 1975 dramatic sports movie “Wilma.” The couple went on to marry in June 1983 and welcomed four children together.
Both Denzel and Pauletta Washington say their love has shaped their bond together.
“We work at it. It's work,” Pauletta Washington told People magazine. “There are a lot of prayers for strength for staying in a forgiveness mode and both parts, mine and his … but it's the basic love that we have for each other.”
When Denzel Washington accepted the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019, he thanked his wife of four decades and called her “the most important person” in his life.
“Forty years of sacrifice, forty years of forgiveness. She taught me about faith, spirituality, love, real love, unwavering love, in spite of myself,” he said. “I would not be alive without Pauletta Washington. I wouldn’t be alive.”
John David Washington
The eldest of the Washington children, John David Washington was born on July 28, 1984.
John David Washington was a college and then professional football player before he followed in his famous parents’ footsteps into acting. He received his big break as Ron Stallworth in 2018’s “BlacKkKlansman,” for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
Katia Washington
Katia Washington is the eldest daughter and second child of Denzel and Pauletta Washington.
Katia Washington has focused her career behind the camera as a producer. In addition to “The Piano Lesson,” she was a co-executive producer of 2021’s romantic drama “Malcolm & Marie,” which also starred her older brother John David Washington as the titular Malcolm, opposite Zendaya’s Marie.
Olivia Washington
On April 10, 1991, Denzel and Pauletta Washington welcomed twins – daughter Olivia and son Malcolm.
Like her parents and siblings, Olivia Washington is also an actor and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her role as Flora in the 2023 drama “I’m a Virgo.”
She has also starred opposite her father in 2021’s crime thriller “The Little Things” and the film “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” which was also released in 2021.
In March, Olivia Washington starred in “Wine in the Wilderness" at the Classic Stage Company in New York City. Her role in the play came at the same time as her father's starring role in "Othello."
"I don't think we knew how special it would be until we were able to go to each other's openings and it was kind of like, 'Oh wow, wait, this is a very important moment isn't it," Olivia Washington told "GMA."
Malcolm Washington
Malcolm Washington is the twin brother of Olivia Washington and was also born on April 10, 1991.
He started his career as a production assistant, producer, writer and can now add director to his resume.
Malcolm Washington told the “Los Angeles Times” that adapting famed playwright August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson” was an “exciting” challenge.
“People don’t always know that August Wilson plays with genre and he has all these different elements to his work. I think a lot of people think of him as straight drama and I think getting to show audiences that other side of his work and build on it and use it as a foundation and interpret and adapt the work for a new medium was just really, really exciting,” he said.
