A two-time Academy Award winning actor and director, Denzel Washington got his break with a role on St. Elsewhere in the 1980s. In 1989, he was awarded with a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Glory. He is perhaps best known for his acclaimed 1992 portrayal of Malcolm X, which earned him an Oscar nomination. In the mid-1990s, roles in Philadelphia, Crimson Tide, and The Pelican Brief cemented his place amongst the Hollywood elite. In 2001, he was the second African American to win the Best Actor Oscar for Training Day. Washington is also a supporter of Nelson Mandela`s Children`s Fund, as well as Gathering Place, an AIDS hospice.