Denzel Washington, the iconic actor and two-time Academy Award winner, was baptized and received a minister’s license on Saturday at the Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ, Harlem, New York. The event, livestreamed by the First Jurisdiction Church of God in Christ Eastern New York, marked a significant milestone for the Gladiator II star.
“In one week I turn 70. It took a while, but I’m here,” Washington said during the ceremony, expressing gratitude to his wife, Pauletta Washington.
Known for his openness about faith, Washington recently shared in an Esquire essay his commitment to discussing religion, despite its rarity in Hollywood. “I’m unafraid. I don’t care what anyone thinks,” he stated. He added, “It’s not fashionable. It’s not sexy. But that doesn’t mean people in Hollywood don’t believe… There’s no such thing called Hollywood anyway. What does that even mean? That to me means a street called Hollywood Boulevard.”
Washington’s upcoming projects include Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, featuring A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice, and Black Panther 3, which he inadvertently revealed his involvement in.