John David Washington, son of Hollywood legend Denzel Washington, shared that throughout his time auditioning in Hollywood he distanced himself from his dad and his family name in order to land acting jobs on his own.
What We Know:
- In an interview with Mr. Porter, Washington shared that he would purposely conceal his father’s identity when he auditioned for a role in order to land the job on his own, based on his talent rather than on his father’s fame. “I saw how people changed when they found out who my father was,” he told the publication. “I used to lie, saying he was a construction worker or in jail, just to have some sense of normalcy.”
- Washington believed that once people found out his dad was famed actor Denzel Washington, they wouldn’t evaluate him based on his acting ability. “I felt like there was no way people would take me seriously, even if I was good,” he shared. “They would always judge me. So I hid who my father was. I guess I was protecting myself.”
- Washington received a lot of praise across social media for his decision to distance himself from his father’s legacy, many sharing that they respected his choice to work on his own and not rely on the stardom and admiration of his dad.
he better than me because i woulda wrote MY FATHER IS DENZEL on my forehead https://t.co/HUc8KPxVzG
— chiamaka ogechi (@dontcallmechia) August 8, 2020
- Washington’s first big break came in 2015 when he landed a major role alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in HBO’s Ballers. He later starred in Spike Lee’s 2018 Oscar-winning film BlacKkKlansman, a performance which earned him a Golden Globe nomination. His most recent role is in the Christopher Nolan spy thriller Tenet, whose premiere has been delayed numerous times due to the coronavirus pandemic. The film is expected to be released in the United Kingdom and other international territories on August 26 and in the United States on September 3.
- Washington has dreams for his legacy to be unaffiliated with his father’s. “Hopefully, my work will speak for itself, like the early De Niros and Leonardo DiCaprios. Their work speaks for itself.”
- Before Washington entered the Hollywood scene, he was signed by the St. Louis Rams, now known as the Los Angeles Rams, as an undrafted free agent in 2006 where he eventually made it onto the team’s practice squad. A serious achilles injury forced Washington to leave football and return to acting.
Washington, alongside actress Zendaya, is set to star in a film titled Malcolm & Marie, which was a secret quarantine production, fully shot and completed during the pandemic lockdown. There has been no specific date announced yet for its release.
