John David Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John David Washington
Washington in 2024
Born	(1984-07-28) July 28, 1984 (age 41) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	Morehouse College (BA)
Occupation	Actor football player
Years active	2006–2012 (sports) 2015–present (acting)
Parent(s)	Denzel Washington (father) Pauletta Washington (mother)
Relatives	Katia Washington (sister) Olivia Washington (sister) Malcolm Washington (brother)
Football career
No. 33, 28
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	208 lb (94 kg)
Career information
College:	Morehouse
Undrafted:	2006
Career history
St. Louis Rams (2006–2007)* Rhein Fire (2007) California Redwoods (2009) Sacramento Mountain Lions (2010–2012)

John David Washington (born July 28, 1984) is an American actor and a former professional football player. He is the son of famous actor Denzel Washington. John David started his career playing college football at Morehouse College.

After college, he signed with the St. Louis Rams in 2006. He also played for the United Football League's Sacramento Mountain Lions for four years. Later, Washington decided to follow in his parents' footsteps and became an actor.

He was a main actor in the HBO comedy series Ballers (2015–2019). His big break came when he played Ron Stallworth in Spike Lee's movie BlacKkKlansman (2018). For this role, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Since then, he has starred in movies like Tenet (2020), Malcolm & Marie (2021), and The Creator (2023). He also performed on Broadway in the play The Piano Lesson in 2022 and in its 2024 film version.

About John David Washington

John David Washington was born and grew up in Toluca Lake, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. He is the oldest of four children. His parents are actor Denzel Washington and actress and singer Pauletta Washington.

When he was seven years old, John David appeared in Spike Lee's 1992 movie Malcolm X. His father starred in that movie. Washington went to Campbell Hall School in Los Angeles. There, he was a top athlete in football, basketball, and track. He finished high school in 2002 and graduated from Morehouse College in 2006.

John David's Football Career

Before becoming a full-time actor, John David Washington was a talented football player.

College Football Highlights

As a senior at Morehouse College, Washington was a star player. He led his conference in rushing, gaining 1,198 yards. This was a school record. He also scored nine touchdowns. During his entire college career, Washington set school records for the most rushing yards in a single game (242 yards) and in a career (3,699 yards).

Playing Professionally

After college, the St. Louis Rams signed Washington in 2006. He later played in NFL Europe for the Rhein Fire in 2007.

In 2009, he was drafted by the California Redwoods. This team later became the Sacramento Mountain Lions. Washington played for the Mountain Lions until 2012, when the league stopped operating.

John David's Acting Career

Washington began his acting journey in 2015. He played Ricky Jerret, an NFL player, in the HBO series Ballers. The show was popular and ran for five seasons until 2019.

Washington (third from left) with the team of BlacKkKlansman at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival

Breakthrough Role in BlacKkKlansman

In 2017, Washington got the main role of detective Ron Stallworth in Spike Lee's movie BlacKkKlansman. This film was based on a true story. The movie was shown at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and won a major award there. It was released in the U.S. in August 2018. The film was a big success. Washington earned nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance. In 2018, he also appeared in other films like Monsters and Men, Monster, and The Old Man & the Gun.

Starring in Tenet and Other Films

Director Christopher Nolan chose Washington to star in his thriller movie Tenet. Nolan was very impressed with Washington's acting. The movie came out in September 2020. Critics praised Washington's performance, calling him a "star-in-the-making." He won the Saturn Award for Best Actor for this role.

Washington then starred with Zendaya in the drama film Malcolm & Marie (2021). This movie was filmed secretly during the COVID-19 pandemic. His acting in this film also received good reviews. In 2022, he played a lawyer and war veteran in the movie Amsterdam. He also had a leading role in the 2023 science fiction film The Creator.

Broadway and Future Projects

From September 2022 to January 2023, Washington performed on Broadway in a play called The Piano Lesson. He played the same role in a 2024 film version of the play. His brother, Malcolm Washington, directed this film.

In 2025, John David Washington became the face of Tom Ford's new fragrance, Bois Pacifique.

John David Washington's Acting Work

Key

Denotes works that have not yet been released

Movies

TV Shows

Theater Plays

Awards and Nominations

John David Washington has received many awards and nominations for his acting.

See also

In Spanish: John David Washington para niños