Denzel Washington's Success - Essay Example

One of the most inspiring things about Denzel Washingtons' career is the story of his early childhood. When he was only 14, his parents got a divorce and he and his sister had to be sent to a boarding school for the rest of their education. Obviously, this must have had a big effect on the young man's life, but he did not let it bother him and he then went on to Fordham University, where he studied Journalism for a while (“Denzel Washington,” 2012).

Beyond his parent's problems, Denzel Washington also had some of his own, although they were not major. He could not decide what he wanted to do and even dropped out of school for a semester because of being on academic probation (Washington, 2006, p16). However, after he worked as a camp counselor over the summer at a YMCA camp and from a friend's comment there “became as passionate about drama and acting as [he] had ever been” about anything else (Washingon, 2006, p18). Many people might have been satisfied with completing a bachelor's degree in drama, but Denzel Washington did not stop there.

Instead, he went to the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, even winning a scholarship that allowed him to continue his studies further (“Denzel Washington,” 2012). No doubt this extra education played a big part in his later success, but it also shows that he was already accepted as a skilled actor, or he would not have gotten a scholarship for such an important school. Because of his ability to “disappear into a role and mesmerize audiences” (“Denzel Washington,” 2012 ) which probably comes from this time and education, he has been able to win several Oscars and Golden Globes, and also play in theatrical parts of all sorts.

One of the most important things to take away from this story of Denzel Washingtons' success is that it is important to think about your strengths. As he says, before he decided on acting he “didn't plan out my life, I lived it” by “bouncing from one path to the next" aimlessly (Washington 2012, 16). This is probably a stereotype about a lot of African-Americans in particular, that gets a lot of young people down. If they think this is what the world expects from them, they might get depressed and quit, as he almost did when he dropped out of school.

However, the way Denzel Washington overcame that idea by learning his strength of acting and then educating himself to become successful is inspiring. Learning about Denzel Washingtons' success has been a great experience for me as an African-American male who is interested in movies. As stated above, he overcame family problems and despite being sent away from his family at a young age, went on to university and became a skilled actor, using his education to advance himself. He has inspired me to pay more attention to my interests and try hard to develop something I am good at, so I too can later be a very successful person and a good role model to young people who need someone to look up to.