Denzel Washington
Awards & Honours
85
Awards Won
5
Honours
3
Rankings
5
Covers
4
Records
Denzel Washington's trophy case is extraordinary. He is one of the few actors to win both a Best Supporting Actor and a Best Actor Oscar. His two Silver Bears from Berlin are a rare mark of international acclaim. The AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019 placed him among the all-time greats, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025 recognized his cultural impact beyond cinema. With over 20 NAACP Image Awards, he is the most honored actor in that organization's history. The New York Times ranking as the greatest actor of the 21st century reflects his consistent excellence across decades.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
AFI Life Achievement Award
Lifetime achievement award for contributions to American cinema.
Cecil B. DeMille Award
Golden Globe's lifetime achievement award.
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Highest civilian honor in the United States.
Honorary Palme d'Or
Lifetime achievement award from the Cannes Film Festival.
Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
Star at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.
Rankings & Lists
Greatest Actor of the 21st Century
The 100 Greatest Movie Stars of All Time
50 Greatest Actors of All Time
Magazine Covers
TIME
2016
The Great Denzel
Rolling Stone
2014
Denzel Washington: The Last Movie Star
Vanity Fair
2017
Hollywood Issue
GQ
2015
The Man Who Would Be King
Esquire
2017
Denzel Washington: The Icon
Records & Feats
Most Oscar nominations for a Black actor
Washington has received nine Academy Award nominations, the most for any Black actor in history.
Only actor to win both a Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor Oscar in non-consecutive years
He won Best Supporting Actor for Glory (1989) and Best Actor for Training Day (2001).
Most NAACP Image Awards won by an individual
Washington has won over 20 NAACP Image Awards, more than any other performer.
First actor to receive the Honorary Palme d'Or
Washington was the first actor to receive the Honorary Palme d'Or from the Cannes Film Festival in 2025.