Actor Denzel Washington and singer John Legend are celebrating their birthdays today, December 28.
Denzel Washington, 60
image courtesy of Dara Kushner/INFphoto.com
Actor, film director and film producer Denzel Washington turns 60 today. Washington gained attention when he starred as Dr. Phillip Chandler in NBC's television hospital drama St. Elsewhere, which ran from 1982 to 1988. He also appeared in several television, motion picture and stage roles. In 1987, he starred as political activist Steven Biko in Cry Freedom, earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 1989, Washington won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film Glory.
In 1992, Washington starred in the Spike Lee film Malclom X. His performance earned him another nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. In 1999, Washington starred in The Hurricane, a film about boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter. He received a Golden Globe Award for his role.
Washington won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the 2001 thriller Training Day. He was the second African-American performer to win an Academy Award for Best Actor. In 2002, Washington directed his first film, a well-reviewed drama called Antwone Fisher, in which he also co-starred. He also directed and starred in the drama The Great Debaters with Forest Whitaker in 2007.
In 2012, Washington starred in Flight, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. From April to June 2014, Washington played the leading role in the Broadway production of Lorraine Hansberry's classic drama A Raisin in the Sun. The show received positive reviews and won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. That same year, Washington starred in The Equalizer.
Washington married Pauletta Pearson, whom he met on the set of his first screen work, the television film Wilma. They have four children.
John Legend, 36
image courtesy of Famous/ACE/INFphoto.com
Singer-songwriter and actor John Legend turns 36 today. Legend released his debut album, Get Lifted, in December 2004. The album debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 116,000 copies in its first week. It went on to sell 540,300 copies in the United States and was certified gold. Get Lifted won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, and earned Legend another two awards for Best New Artist and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
In August 2006, Legend appeared in an episode of Sesame Street. He performed a song entitled "It Feels Good When You Sing a Song," a duet with Hoots the Owl. He also performed during the pregame show of Super Bowl XL in Detroit and the halftime show at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game.
In October 2006, Legend's second album, Once Again, was released. It reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and debuted on top of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. At the 2007 Grammy Awards ceremony, the song "Heaven" was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. Legend won a second Grammy that year for "Family Affair."
Legend had a supporting, singing-only role in the 2008 movie Soul Men. That same year he released his third studio album, Evolver. He released his fourth studio album, Love in the Future, on September 3, 2013, debuting No. 4 on the Billboard 200. The album has been nominated for Best R&B album at the upcoming 2014 Grammy Awards. Legend's third single of the album, "All Of Me," became a big success peaking at No. 1 on both the iTunes charts and Billboard Hot 100.
Legend married model Chrissy Teigen on September 14, 2013.
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