John David Washington

John David Washington is an actor and former American football running back. He played college football at Morehouse College and signed with the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Professionally, Washington spent four years as the running back for the United Football League's Sacramento Mountain Lions.

Washington shifted to an acting career in the early 2010s, following in the footsteps of his father, actor Denzel Washington. He landed his breakout role as Ricky Jerret in the HBO series "Ballers" and gained widespread recognition in 2018 with his lead role in Spike Lee’s "BlacKkKlansman," where he portrayed Ron Stallworth, a Black detective who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan. The film received critical acclaim and earned Washington nominations for both Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.

Washington also starred in the films "Monsters and Men" and "All Rise," both of which screened in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. In 2020, he starred as the lead in Christopher Nolan’s "Tenet," a high-concept sci-fi thriller that became one of the year’s most talked-about films. His portrayal of the Protagonist, a time-bending secret agent, received praise for his commanding performance and ability to navigate a complex narrative. Following "Tenet," Washington took on another lead role in "Malcolm & Marie," a black-and-white drama directed by Sam Levinson. Acting alongside Zendaya, he delivered a powerful performance in this intimate, dialogue-driven film about the highs and lows of a romantic relationship.

He has since starred in "Amsterdam," a historical mystery-comedy directed by David O. Russell, where he shared the screen with a star-studded ensemble cast, and "The Creator," a dystopian sci-fi film set in a future where humans are at war with artificial intelligence. Most recently, Washington adapted his Broadway role of Boy Willie in "The Piano Lesson" to the movie version, produced by Netflix.