four children together during their marriage. All four children are pursuing careers in the film industry.
Their oldest, John David Washington, starred in the Oscar-nominated Spike Lee film BlacKkKlansman and the much talked about 2020 film, Tenet.
Daughter, Katia Washington, has served as a producer and production assistant on several of her father’s films, including Fences. Twins, Olivia and Malcolm, have studied filmmaking and acting.
Olivia wants to follow in her father’s footsteps in front of the camera after studying at NYU.
One of their first dates
Denzel revealed that he had taken Pauletta out for a fancy dinner, and then decided to splurge on a cab ride home. In those days, the actor revealed, he was struggling, and the alternative was the Subway or a walk home.
But, as they drove and the cab’s meter continued counting the growing fare, Denzel realized that he wouldn’t have enough money to pay for it.
Even though the thought of her paying made Denzel cringe, Pauletta ended up having to pay for the cab, but it didn’t seem to put her off the handsome actor, and she agreed to see him again.
So what’s the secret to their marriage?
“I do what I’m told. I keep my mouth shut!” joked Denzel. But then the actor later got real about what had really held him and Pauletta together over the years and gave his wife a huge amount of the credit.
“What pops into my head: security, food, a beautiful home,” he said. “The difference between a house and a home, it’s a big difference.
You can buy a house, but that doesn’t make it a home—and not to say a man can’t make a home a home, but my wife has made our house a home, and raised these beautiful kids, and protected them and sacrificed for them. She did the heavy lifting.”
She went on to acknowledge that Denzel had been far more in the public eye than she had, but it had made no difference to their connection with each other.
“When Denzel first started, I was right there, but there was no focus on me. But there’s been no less presence in his life and in my life than now. As you climb, you grow deeper in the foundation, so it makes our foundation deeper.”