Denzel Washington has made history again after scoring his 10th Oscar nomination, Tuesday, and extending his reign as the most-nominated Black actor in Academy Awards history.
The 67-year-old is up for Best Actor at this year’s ceremony for his work in the title role of The Tragedy of Macbeth.
Washington was first nominated for an Oscar in 1988, when he was up for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Cry Freedom.
He went on to earn nine more nods, winning twice: for Best Supporting Actor (1990, Glory) and for Best Actor (2002, Training Day). He was most recently nominated in 2018 for his work in Roman J. Israel, Esq.
In a statement, Washington said: “The Tragedy of Macbeth was one of the best experiences of my career.
“Joel Coen is a genius and I hope the nominations for the film will allow for more people to enjoy a terrific cinematic experience,” he added of the movie’s writer and director. “Thank you to the members of the Academy for the recognition and to A24 and Apple for their ongoing support.”
Washington’s history-making nomination comes one year after Viola Davis broke her own Oscars record, as the most-nominated Black actress ever, nabbing her fourth nomination for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
The 94th annual Academy Awards will be held at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 27.
