The American actor Denzel Washington was honoured with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden in the White House yesterday (January 4).

Washington is a Hollywood legend with a forty-year career behind him.

He stars in the current blockbuster, Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator II‘. It was recently announced that he will feature in the upcoming ‘Black Panther III‘.

Washington has helmed some fantastic movies including ‘Malcolm X‘, ‘Training Day‘, ‘Flight‘, ‘Inside Man‘, ‘Cry Freedom‘, ‘Fences‘, ‘Crimson Tide‘ and the ‘Equaliser‘ trilogy.

Just before his 70th birthday which was on the 28th of December 2024, he was baptised at the Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ in Harlem, New York.

He was also given a minister’s licence by the church during the ceremony.

Denzel Washington was among nineteen celebrities including Hillary Clinton across different fields to receive the highest civilian honour. 

The awards are given for “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal public or private endeavours.”

Three notable quotes by the great Denzel Washington: 

1.” Without commitment, you’ll never start, but more importantly, without consistency, you’ll never finish.”

2.” It’s not about what you have or even about what you’ve accomplished. It’s about what you’ve done with those accomplishments. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better.”

3. ”To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.”

Well done Denzel Washington and congratulations.

Our Today salutes you.