Actor Denzel Washington to be Awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom

Malcolm X actor Denzel Washington has been added to Joe Biden’s list of candidates to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom on July 1, 2022.

The Medal is an honorable award to show appreciation to people who have made significant contributions to society, peace, culture, and politics. This Medal is presented to a select number of public figures every year. According to Variety, the current US president Joe Biden announced the list this Friday.

Denzel Washington, one of the most revered actors in the Hollywood industry, is the only actor to make it onto the list. Other honorees include sportspeople Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe; religious figures Sister Simone Campbell and Father Alexander Karloutsos; healthcare worker Sarah Lindsay, US military leader Wilma Vaught; and activists Fred Gray, Diane Nash, and Raúl Yzaguirre.

The list of award winners also includes political leaders Gabrielle Giffords and Alan Simpson; Constitution Literacy and National Unity Project founder Khizr Khan; and the former University of Texas at Brownsville President Julieta. Steve Jobs, John McCain, and Richard Trumka will also be awarded posthumously.

Denzel has acquired many awards as an actor, director, and producer in his career, and he can now add this to his list. A list of his most memorable achievements includes a Cecile B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award, and an honorary Golden Globe Award in 2016 for his overall contributions to the entertainment industry.

Washington has also scored two Oscars for his work in Malcolm X and Glory and a Tony Award in 2010 for his performance in Fences. Denzel Washington was also named the greatest actor of the 21st Century by The New York Times, which also featured big names like Keanu Reeves, Joaquin Phoenix, Julianne Moore, Saoirse Ronan, and more.

Source: Variety