All Four of Denzel Washington's Kids Are in Showbiz — Here's Where You Know Them From

Denzel Washington is revered as one of the best actors of his generation, but when he's not gracing the big screen or performing on Broadway, he's spending time with his family. The two-time Oscar winner has been happily married for over 40 years and is the proud father of four.

“I joined in as often as I could,” Washington once said of his work-life balance during an interview with Oprah Winfrey. “When my parents were together, my father worked a lot, too. He always had two or three jobs, so he was never home either. Children adjust. My kids knew that I was always trying to get home to be with them. I'd tell them, ‘You have school Monday to Friday, and I have work. We both have our jobs to do.’”

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The actor and his wife, Pauletta Washington, also made sure that their kids led as normal a life as possible, given their dad’s enormous fame.

“They live well, but we don’t just give them anything they want,” he explained in the same interview. “When our twins turned 16, I bought them used cars. OK, they’re BMWs, but I wanted them in something safe! I got them into athletics, which has also been important. They’ve learned about hard work and fair play.”

While Washington has had to sometimes choose between working and spending time with his kids, more recently he partnered with three of his kids on The Piano Lesson, the August Wilson adaptation that arrived on Netflix on Nov. 22.

So who are the Gladiator II actor’s children, and how have they worked together? Here’s everything to know about Denzel Washington’s kids.

How many kids does Denzel Washington have?

Denzel Washington has four kids, all of whom he shares with his wife, Pauletta Washington. The couple, who wed in 1983, are the parents of John David Washington (born 1984), Katia Washington (born 1986) and twins Olivia Washington and Malcolm Washington (born 1991).

Who is the mother of Denzel Washington’s children?

Denzel met Pauletta (née Pearson) on the set of the 1977 TV movie Wilma, but they didn’t hit it off until several months later when they attended a party hosted by a mutual friend. “Denzel and his friends came at the very end of the party," she recalled during a 1996 interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show. "We spoke again. We were reintroduced. And then [the] next night, I attended a play. And I got there late, so I snuck in and just sat down. I didn't look at who was around me, and at intermission, the lights came up, and we were sitting next to each other.”

Pauletta noted that she eventually fell for her future husband because of his personality. “I thought he was cute, but I fell in love with his spirit, really,” she explained. “That I saw first. And then I thought, 'Not a bad package,' you know?”

The duo tied the knot in 1983—but it took Denzel a few tries to convince Pauletta to say yes. “She turned me down, she said no,” he told Access Hollywood in 2013. “And since it was three times, that means she turned me down twice.”

The couple became parents in 1984 with the arrival of their first child, son John David. Daughter Katia followed in 1986, and twins Malcolm and Olivia arrived in 1991.

Related: Who Is Denzel Washington’s Wife? Get to Know His Leading Lady, Pauletta Washington!

How old was Denzel Washington when he had his first kid?

Washington had his first child, son John David, when he was 29. While he wasn’t yet the household name he is today, he was already earning a reputation in Hollywood. In 1984, the same year that John David was born, Washington appeared in a supporting role in the movie A Soldier’s Story and in the TV movie License to Kill. He had also begun his stage career, having appeared in productions of William Shakespeare’s Coriolanus and Charles Fuller’s A Soldier’s Play (which was adapted into the aforementioned A Soldier’s Story).

Who are Denzel Washington’s children?

Denzel Washington has four kids: John David, Katia, Olivia and Malcolm.

John David Washington

John David is the eldest of Denzel and Pauletta’s children. He was born on July 28, 1984, and was the first of Denzel’s kids to follow in his dad’s acting footsteps. Before becoming an actor, John David was an athlete, playing football for Morehouse College and later briefly signing with the St. Louis Rams. He then played in NFL Europe and the United Football League until the latter organization folded in 2012.

While John David had a couple of small roles as a kid in his dad’s movies, his true acting debut came in 2015 when he began playing Ricky Jerret on HBO’s Ballers. He has since appeared in BlacKkKlansman (2018), Tenet (2020), Malcolm & Marie (2021) and Amsterdam (2022). While he bears somewhat of a resemblance to his dad, many moviegoers have noticed that the real similarity is in their voices.

John David has said that his dad was the main inspiration for his acting career, but when he first auditioned for Ballers, he kept it a secret from Denzel. “I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it,” John David explained to WSJ. Magazine in 2021. “I'll never forget how he expressed how proud he was of me. That was a great moment for me.”

John David plays the lead role in The Piano Lesson, which Denzel helped to produce.

Katia Washington

Denzel and Pauletta’s second child, daughter Katia, was born on November 27, 1986. While she keeps a lower profile than John David, she also works in the entertainment industry. After graduating from Yale University in 2010, she began working as a producer, collaborating with her dad on Fences (2016) and her older brother on Assassination Nation (2018). She and her family teamed up again on the screen adaptation of The Piano Lesson, which was produced by Denzel, stars John David and was directed by her younger brother, Malcolm.

Olivia Washington

Olivia and her twin brother, Malcolm, were born on April 10, 1991. Like her dad and older brother, she’s an actor as well, having starred in films including The Butler (2013) and Breaking (2022) following her 2013 graduation from New York University. In 2021, she appeared alongside her dad in The Tragedy of Macbeth. Her TV credits include roles on Empire, Mr. Robot, I’m a Virgo and She’s Gotta Have It.

Malcolm Washington

Pauletta and Denzel welcomed Malcolm and his twin sister, Olivia, on April 10, 1991. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013, he entered the film business as well, becoming a producer. He directed and cowrote the upcoming adaptation of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, which stars John David and was produced by Denzel and Katia.

Are Denzel Washington’s kids actors?

Two of Washington’s kids, John David and Olivia, are full-time actors, and both of them have earned critical acclaim for their work. John David earned Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations for his work in BlacKkKlansman, while Olivia garnered a Film Independent Spirit Award nod for her turn in I’m a Virgo.

“It's a team sport in our house,” Denzel said during a 2021 interview on Good Morning America after praising Olivia’s acting. “My wife was a child prodigy—concert pianist, Van Cliburn competitor and singer and actress. My daughter Katia is a producer—she produced Malcolm & Marie and Assassination Nation and others. My baby boy, Malcolm, is a director and a producer. Did I leave somebody out? Oh, and me!”

Related: 'Gladiator 2' Drops a New Trailer Showcasing Denzel Washington

What do Denzel Washington’s children do?

All of Washington’s kids work in the entertainment industry in one capacity or another. John David and Olivia are both actors, like their dad, while Malcolm and Katia are producers. Malcolm will also soon make his directorial debut with The Piano Lesson, which stars his brother and was produced by his dad and older sister.

Does Denzel Washington have grandchildren?

Washington doesn’t yet have any grandkids, but there’s no question that he’ll be an excellent grandpa if the day ever comes.

Related: Denzel Washington's Net Worth and How the Oscar Winner Earned It