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'Power' (1986) - In his third film, Washington plays a public relations expert in this Sidney Lumet-directed drama.

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'Power' (1986) - Won: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Award, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

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'Cry Freedom' (1987) - The actor plays black South African activist Steve Biko in this gripping apartheid-era drama directed by Richard Attenborough and based on real-life events.

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'Cry Freedom' (1987) -

Nominee: Academy Award, Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Nominee: Golden Globe, Best Actor

Won: NAACP Image Award,  Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

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'Glory' (1989) -

Based on true events and set during the American Civil War, this movie follows the exploits of an all-African American military unit. Washington portrays Private Silas Tripp.

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'Glory' (1989) -

Won: Academy Award, Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Won: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Nominee: New York Film Critics Circle Awards as Best Supporting Actor

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'Mississippi Masala' (1991) - Set mostly in the rural Deep South, the film explores interracial romance between African Americans and Indian Americans. Washington's character, Demetrius Williams, is a local self-employed carpet cleaner.

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'Mississippi Masala' (1991) - Won: NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

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'Malcolm X' (1992) - Spike Lee's epic biographical drama sees Washington in one of his defining roles as Malcolm X.

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'Malcolm X' (1992) -

Nominee: Academy Award, Best Actor

Won: Silver Bear for Best Actor, Berlin International Film Festival

Won: New York Film Critics Circle Award, Best Actor

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'Philadelphia' (1993) - One of the first mainstream Hollywood productions to acknowledge HIV/AIDS, homosexuality, and homophobia, 'Philadelphia' sees Washington in a supporting role, but a pivotal one as lawyer Joe Miller. 

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'Philadelphia' (1993) - Nominee: MTV Movie Awards, Best On-Screen Duo

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'Courage Under Fire' (1996) - This war drama received positive reviews for its depiction of a friendly fire incident, a later military engagement, and the subsequent cover-up of both incidents. Washington plays an investigating officer.

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'Courage Under Fire' (1996) - Nominee: Best Actor, Chicago Film Critics Association Awards

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'He Got Game' (1998) - This film is the third of four collaborations between the actor and director Spike Lee. This sports drama sees Washington play an ex-convict who's released early in order to persuade his son to take part in a professional basketball tournament.

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'He Got Game' (1998) -

Nominee: NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Motion Picture

Nominee: Best Actor, Acapulco Black Film Festival

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'The Hurricane' (1999) - Washington plays Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a former boxer wrongly convicted of a triple murder. Based on true events, the film garnered positive reviews.

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'The Hurricane' (1999) -

Nominee: Academy Award, Best Actor

Won: Golden Globe, Best Actor

Won: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

Won: Silver Bear, Best Actor, Berlin International Film Festival

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'Remember The Titans' (2000) - Another critically praised sports drama, this film sees Washington portraying a football coach and his attempt to integrate black and white players into a high school team.

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'Remember The Titans' (2000) -

Won: Black Entertainment Television (BET), Best Actor

Won: Black Reel Award, Best Actor

Won: NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

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'Training Day' (2001) - A crime thriller of the highest caliber, 'Training Day' provided Washington with a signature role as a corrupt cop mentoring a fellow police officer for one day, with bizarre and tragic results.

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'Training Day' (2001) -

Won: Academy Award, Best Actor

Nominee: Golden Globe, Best Actor

Nominee: Screen Actors Guild, Best Actor

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'Antwone Fisher' (2002) - Washington's directorial debut also stars the actor in this biographical drama about American director, screenwriter, and author Antwone Fisher.

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'Antwone Fisher' (2002) -

Won: Black Reel Award, Best Director

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'Out of Time' (2003) -

This thriller sees Washington's character, a respected chief of police, framed for murder and under investigation by fellow officers.

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'Out of Time' (2003) -

Won: BET Award, Best Actor

Nominee: Black Reel Award, Best Actor

Nominee: NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture

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'American Gangster' (2007) - Ridley Scott's gritty crime drama is a fictional take on the life of Harlem drug trafficker Frank Lucas, played by Washington.

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'American Gangster' (2007) -

Nominee: Golden Globe, Best Actor

Won: BET Award, Best Actor

Nominee: Satellite Award, Best Actor 

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'The Great Debaters' (2007) - Washington directs and stars in this real-life tale about a debate coach who attempts to place his team on equal footing with whites in the 1930s.

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'The Great Debaters' (2007) -

Won: BET Award, Best Actor

Won: NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture 

Nominee: NAACP Image Award, Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture

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'Flight' (2012) - Inspired by a real-life incident, 'Flight' follows the career of an alcoholic airline pilot (Washington), who crash-lands his plane to save all on board. However, an investigation leads to a very different story.

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'Flight' (2012) -

Nominee: Academy Award, Best Actor

Nominee: Golden Globe, Best Actor

Won: Black Reel Award, Best Actor

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'The Magnificent Seven' (2016) -

An admirable remake of the 1960 Western classic, this new version features Washington as Marshal Sam Chisolm. The film is noted for its ethnically diverse cast.

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'The Magnificent Seven' (2016) - Won: Jupiter Award, Best International Actor

Nominee: Black Reel Award, Best Actor

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'Fences' (2016) - A period drama directed, produced, and starring Washington, the plot line follows a working-class African American father trying to raise his family in the 1950s, while distracted by everyday events.

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'Fences' (2016) -

Nominee: Academy Award, Best Actor

Nominee: Golden Globe, Best Actor

Won: Screen Actors Guild, Best Actor

Won: African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), Best Acto

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'Roman J. Israel, Esq.' (2017) - Washington's titular character is a defense lawyer at odds with himself as events begin to overtake him. The result is the necessity for extreme action.

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'Roman J. Israel, Esq.' (2017) -

Nominee: Academy Award, Best Actor

Nominee: Golden Globe, Best Actor

Nominee: Screen Actors Guild, Best Actor

Won: Black Film Critics Circle Awards (BFCC), Best Actor

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Cecil B. DeMille Award (2016) -

In 2016, Denzel Washington was recognized with an honorary Golden Globe, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, for "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment."

See also: Sexiest Men Alive: People's choices through the years.

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