Spotlight on actor John David Washington
He’s never wanted to live in the shadow of his famous dad – now the BlacKkKlansman actor doesn’t have to
HEAVY ROLE He first made a name for himself playing American football star Ricky Jerret in the comedy series Ballers. Now the eldest child of Hollywood veteran Denzel Washington (63) and his actress wife, Pauletta (67), is attracting attention with his performance in Spike Lee’s biographical comedy drama BlacKkKlansman. The 34-year-old actor plays Ron Stallworth, a black police detective who managed to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan in the ’70s with the help of a white colleague (played by Adam Driver). The critically acclaimed film has a 95% “fresh” rating on movie review site Rotten Tomatoes. ACTING ROOTS He’s avoided the limelight for most of his professional life as he doesn’t want to live in the shadow of his Oscar-winning dad.
But John David got into showbiz early, making his debut at age nine in another Spike Lee film, Malcolm X, in which his dad played the title role. He had just one line of dialogue: “I am Malcolm X.” CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE John David doesn’t allow anyone to shortchange his mom. When a journalist referred to him as “the son of Denzel Washington” in a recent interview on a US talk show he was quick to interrupt, “. . . and Pauletta Washington . . . [She] was earning more money than he was before they got married. She was on Broadway working and she paid for the first date, paid the bill, paid for the cab ride.
“She’s a classically trained pianist, went to Julliard. She’s a great artist in her own right and I learnt a lot from her. My father taught me how to hunt; my mother taught me how to love.” Catch Season 4 of Ballers on 1Magic (DStv channel 103) on Tuesdays at 9.30pm.