Denzel Washington’s son had to ‘protect’ himself at the height of father’s fame

Denzel Washington’s son has spoken of feeling the need to “protect” himself as his father’s career rose and his fame rose.

Before his own movie stardom, John David Washington was a football player and spent four years as a running back for the United Football League’s Sacramento Mountain Lions. Moving into acting, he landed a lead role in the HBO comedy series Balls (2015–2019) before gaining widespread attention for his role in Spike Lee’s 2018 film BlackKkKlansman.

During a recent appearance at Happy Sad Confused podcast, the younger Washington was asked by host Josh Horowitz if delaying his pursuit of an acting career was an “act of rebellion” given his family background.

“You know, my dad got really popular, man. Like, he’s the man,” replied John David Washington, 40.Malcolm X hit (in 1992) and my life changed.

“I remember him taking a trumpet home when he practiced Mo’ Better Blues (1990). I remember when he dyed his hair red when he was getting ready for these roles and I used to love it.”

“He took me around New York spitting Richard III lines (for stage production The Tragedy of Richard III), because he made a song with the tights and the mullet. You know it was a magic trick: “He doesn’t talk like that in the house – and look at him now!” So for me (was) that (it) was always about.

“But as he got older, you know, I felt like… my world changed and my relationship with it. People changed how they treated me. So I felt this need to protect myself and felt the need to finding my identity So I found it through sports.

“So I thought maybe I’d take a backseat to art or to acting because I want them to know me for something else. I want them to just know me. I didn’t realize that you may know me through work, but I needed to go through what I did football-wise first, but I think it started to change afterwards Malcolm X.”

John David Washington went on to reveal that when he made the decision to pursue a career in acting, he confided in his mother Pauletta Washington, an accomplished stage and film actress who studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts, The Juilliard School and the University of North Texas.

“I definitely told her first,” said the younger Washington, whose three siblings also work in the entertainment industry. “I didn’t tell my dad until I booked Balls.”

But having his mother’s support for his acting pursuits meant he also had a coach to keep him on his toes. This, he said, continues to this day, with his mother providing notes on his Broadway debut in the 2022 revival of the August Wilson play. Piano lessons. He also starred in its 2024 film adaptation.

“We ran lines, my mom and I. She’s like an acting coach in a way,” John David Washington said. “Every script I get, which I usually do, we run lines and she gives me the hardest notes. She also gave me so many notes for the play. I’m like, let’s just go to dinner and talk about the week, and how I did, by the way, five times that week.

“I mean, I love it,” he added of his mother’s guiding hand. “She cares deeply. In a way, I felt like I was representing her as well, talking about pressure. Because, you know, she has her masters in the arts.”

In the end, John David Washington has no regrets about becoming an actor. “I love football. I definitely needed football,” he said. “But… I’ve never felt more alive (acting).”