35 Best Denzel Washington Movies, Ranked

He can play a dirty cop as easily as an action hero, a passionate civil rights activist or a curious musician. And even when he barely utters a word, he still manages to capture the viewer’s attention. I am, of course, talking about the incomparable Denzel Washington, who has delivered some of the strongest and most impactful performances in cinema over a decades-long career.

For example, I could go on for days about his powerful portrayal of the iconic Malcolm X, and I still think about his emotional performance in Glory (Oh boy, that whipping scene.) It comes as no surprise that he is one letter away from EGOT status, with two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony to his name.

As it turns out, the iconic Sidney Poitier helped Washington launch his successful career by offering sage advice. He told The conversations“Sidney Poitier told me many, many years ago that the first four or five films you make determine how you are perceived in the business. So I was very blessed that the second film I made was with Norman Jewison, the third film I made was with Sidney Lumet, and the fourth film I made Scream Freedom with Richard Attenborough, which I was nominated for for the first time. I was off to the races. There were other films I could have done that I didn’t.”

Since then, the actor has made several top-notch crime dramas, biopics and thrillers, from Inside Man Unpleasant Devil in a blue dressRead on for my full ranking of Denzel Washington’s best films.