Top 10 Denzel Washington Performances

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. He's played the best of the best and the baddest of the bad. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we're counting down our picks for Denzel Washington's top ten performances. See, you are what you are in this world. That's either one of two things. Either you're somebody or you're nobody. An Oscar nomination already? This is gonna be a good list. Earning his first Academy Award nod in over ten years, Denzel plays a pilot struggling with various addictions. I'm drunk right now because I'm an alcoholic. Who saves lives after his plane starts a hellish descent. We're gonna roll it, okay? What do you mean, roll it? What follows is a harrowing story of personal demons and doing what's right. With Denzel steering away with one of his bravest and most complex performances, it's one wild ride. No one could have landed that plane like I did. No one. I'm Coach Boone. I'm gonna tell you all about how much fun you're gonna have this season. Keeping the drama rolling is Washington's role as the football coach in a racially divided school. As the team struggles to make it as a unit, Washington shows off his skills as a speech maker with some rousing pep talks. I don't care if you like each other or not, but you will respect each other. And maybe learn to play this game like men. Finally finding common ground in the game they love, the Titans manage to beat the odds and come out on top. In no small part thanks to Denzel's work. When I was 15 years old, I lost my mother and my father in the same month, Ronnie. Same month. 12 brothers and sisters, I was the youngest one, but they were all looking up to me. Now I wasn't ready yet either, but they needed me. Your team needs you tonight. You're the colonel, you're gonna command your troops tonight, you understand? Twins right, 48, zero read. Let's go. Moving away from racially sensitive pieces, Denzel dives into the role of this conflicted lawyer who defends homosexual AIDS sufferer Tom Hanks I have AIDS. with a critical look at how society treats other sexualities out of fear and miscommunication. The fact of the matter is when they fired Andrew Beckett because he had AIDS, they broke the law. While Hanks may have been the one to grab the Oscar, Washington's performance is nothing to snub your nose at as he goes through a visible transformation along the way. I better get out of here. Lisa's, uh, I told her that, you know. In my humble opinion, in the nuclear world, the true enemy is war itself. This underwater epic pits Denzel against Gene Hackman as the assistant commander of a submarine armed with nuclear weapons. When an incomplete message regarding the launch on Russia comes into play, both leads clash over what is right and wrong with lives hanging in the balance. If we launch and we're wrong, what's left of Russia is gonna launch at us. There will be a nuclear holocaust beyond imagination. Washington's portrayal of a good-hearted man with boundless determination helps ensure you'll be talking about this one long after it's over. About to help you if you're wrong. If I'm wrong, then we're at war. Stepping into a villain role, Denzel brings his intensity to real-life criminal Frank Lucas. Who are you really? Frank Lucas says it right there in my passport. I mean who you represent. Me. By taking over the heroin trade during the Vietnam War, Lucas rises to become New York's most fearsome gangster, only to fall from grace when he tangles with honest cop Russell Crowe. Frank Lucas don't run from nobody, baby. What we love about this performance is that Denzel makes clear how much respect and honor, albeit twisted, means to Lucas' character. Most important thing in business is honesty, integrity, hard work, family, never forgetting where we came from. Putting himself back in the sports drama limelight, Denzel portrays this middleweight boxer turned prisoner as he deals with 20 years behind bars. I've been locked up for 30 years. Recounting how racism and the failings of the court landed him in jail on a triple murder rap, We're looking for two negroes in a white car. Any two will do. He's eventually freed by the love of a Canadian foster family. Hate put me in prison. Now bust me out. Denzel's angry but focused efforts earned him a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. And we are not surprised. I hereby order Reuben Carter released from prison. Number four. Detective Keith Frazier, Inside Man. Don't take this personally, Miss White. Kiss my black ass, okay? Spike Lee's most successful film called for one hell of a protagonist. And no one was better than Denzel to play NYPD hostage negotiator Keith Frazier. Tell you what, my ass is covered, sport. I would not get too comfortable in here. Why were you? No, I got the cable guy coming on Wednesday. What we love about this role is that Denzel has gone on record to say he used his experience playing Brutus in Julius Caesar to really encapsulate the character. And you can see that in the choices he makes and the speeches he delivers. Thank you very much. I'm learning so much today, you know? Number three. Detective Alonzo Harris, Training Day. I see you down here again. I'm gonna take your vehicle. I'm gonna make you walk home. I'm gonna let the homeboys up the hill run a train on your girlfriend. You know where the train is, don't you? This one earned Denzel an Oscar. In a departure from his usual roles, Denzel plays the corrupt, hard-as-nails, no-nonsense badass Alonzo Harris, who's leading rookie cop Ethan Hawke on the longest day of his life. This is a newspaper, right? It's 90% bullshit, but it's entertaining. That's why I read it, because it entertains me. You won't let me read it, so you entertain me with your bullshit. Playing a rogue L.A. policeman who'll do anything to get his way, Denzel is manipulative, magnetic, and over-the-top. But he's also a broken, unsympathetic, and repugnant character. No wonder we can't get enough. Winning Washington his first Oscar is this Civil War drama. Denzel brings forward the charisma and heart of one of the many soldiers that formed the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first formal all-African American U.S. Army unit. One of the film's many highlights, Denzel's performance enthralls us and makes us choke up at this beautiful story of sacrifice and overcoming adversity. Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions. 1. Malcolm X, Malcolm X This powerful biographical piece is considered one of the greats, thanks to Spike Lee's vision and Denzel Washington's acting. One of his most commanding performances to date, Denzel brings the chilling and awe-inspiring character of Malcolm X back to life. Portraying his journey from the streets all the way to Mecca with incredible precision, despite the dramatization, Washington is convincing in all aspects of the controversial leader's existence. Do you agree with our list? What's your favorite Denzel Washington performance? Leave your comments below and be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com for more of your favorite top tens published daily.