How Denzel Washington makes and spends his millions

One of the greatest actors of his generation didn't always want to be one.

Washington revealed to Charlie Rose in a 2000 interview that he went to school with hopes of being a doctor one day. He quickly realized it wasn't for him so it led to him being more focused on acting.

However, one of his big breakout roles in his career was playing a doctor. In the 1980s, he played Dr. Philip Chandler on the series "St. Elsewhere."

After his run on "St. Elsewhere," he landed the role of Private Trip in the Civil War drama "Glory" in 1989.

It was the role that changed his life.

He won best supporting actor for the part, which catapulted him to leading man status in Hollywood. Washington starred in Spike Lee movies "Mo' Better Blues" (1990) and "Malcolm X" (1992), and other acclaimed movies like "Philadelphia" (1993) opposite Tom Hanks and "Crimson Tide" (1995) opposite Gene Hackman.

By the time 1996's "Courage Under Fire" came around, he was reportedly making around $10 million per movie.

By the 2000s, Washington was in the rarefied air of the biggest earners in Hollywood like Tom Cruise and Will Smith as he could command $20 million pre movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter in 2015.

In the early 2000s, Universal was developing a biopic on legendary gangster Frank Lucas with Washington attached to play the part. Washington would be getting his $20 million rate and the movie would be directed by his "Training Day" director Antoine Fuqua.

The project crumbled after Fuqua exited but because Washington had a "pay or play" deal, meaning he gets paid regardless if the movie gets made, the actor reportedly walked away with his $20 million, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Fast forward a few years and Ridley Scott came onto the project, and Universal once more wanted Washington in the role. According to Forbes, he was paid $20 million again for the role. 

So when all was said and done Washington walked away with $40 million, and perhaps more if he had any profit bonuses in his contract, as the movie ended up making close to $270 million worldwide at the box office.

By the 2010s, Washington had hit greatest-of-all-time status and was making the money deserving of a legend.

Forbes listed him as one of the highest-paid actors of 2013, reporting that he took in $33 million that year thanks to movies like "Flight."

To play a deputy sheriff with a tormented past that had him trailing a creepy Jared Leto, Washington was paid $40 million, according to Variety.

In this era where sequels are generating huge checks for actors, Washington has only participated in one franchise playing former Marine-turned-vigilante Robert McCall in "The Equalizer" movies.

For the upcoming third movie coming out in the fall, Washington will be paid $20 million according to Variety, and likely backend participation.

Washington spends his off time in a 29,000-square-foot mansion in Hollywood's famed Mulholland Drive that he bought from former Disney mogul Michael Eisner for $80 million.

His neighbors include Eddie Murphy, Sylvester Stallone, and Mark Wahlberg.

Washington also has a Central Park West apartment in Manhattan that ran him $13 million for a three bedroom, four bath space.

Residents in that building over the years have included Wahlberg, Bob Costas, and Sting.

Washington doesn't just rake in the millions — he makes it a point to give to charity.

Having said numerous times over his career that he learned many life lessons, and discovered his acting ability, going to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America as a kid, he's donated time and money to the organization.

In 2021, his Denzel Washington Family Foundation also pledged $1 million to Wiley College, which is an HBCU that was the site of Washington's 2007 movie "The Great Debaters," which he also directed.

In 2018, Boseman revealed a secret that he said he's kept inside most of his life: Washington paid part of his tuition through a scholarship program while he took a summer class studying drama at Oxford University.

Once Boseman found fame with "Black Panther," he felt more comfortable telling the story, and was also able to thank Washington in person for his help.