Lifetime Achievement Award for Denzel Washington

AFI Chair calls star "an American icon"

by Jennie Kermode

Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 2
Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 2

The American Film Institute today announced that its 47th Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Denzel Washington at a ceremony in Los Angeles in June next year. The star, who won the 2002 Best Actor award for his work in Training Day and received the Cecil B De Mille Award at the Golden Globes in 2016, will be recognised alongside the likes of Sidney Poitier, Meryl Streep and George Clooney.

"Denzel Washington is an American icon," said AFI Chair Howard Stringer. "As an actor, he stands tall as a heroic, stoic embodiment of the best in all of us, and he does so with heart, humanity and one of the brightest smiles to ever light up the screen. Equally formidable as director and producer, he is a creative force to be reckoned with — and one of the most vital, relevant artists working today."

Washington has received acclaim for his contributions to films as diverse as Glory, Flight, Inside Man, Man On Fire and Malcolm X. Aged 63, he most recently appeared in The Equalizer 2.

Share this with others on...

Movies out this week include:

A Better Tomorrow Camp The Last Viking
News

Encouraging reel growth How Spanish/Greek co-production Yerma took root at the Evia Project

Age and urgency Daniel Talbott and Andrew Klaus-Vineyard on Welcome To Tool Shed

Little games Alicia Scherson on adapting Bolaño and making The Summer War

Without context Matt Eames on declining political discourse, life without social media, and Deepfake

Such a suff'ring Joe Fria on exploring his personal fears in Shadows Of Willow Cabin

Sacred and profane Hannah Peterson on adapting David Hornsby's Via Negativa

Suspicious minds Rebecca Zlotowski on building past lives and working with Jodie Foster on A Private Life

More news and features

Interact

Don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon and Bluesky.


It's a busy time for festivals and here's the latest:


Karlovy Vary Keitel, Hoffman and Binoche take the waters as second wave of guests announced


The Evia Project Event returns for a 5th year with focus on the forest


DocFest Winners announced


Tribeca Awards announced


Karlovy Vary 60th anniversary edition to feature Jesse Eisenberg and Maggie Gyllenhaal as guests