Who is Pauletta Washington? All About Denzel Washington’s wife

Denzel Washington may have been named Sexiest Man Alive in 1996, but he caught his wife Pauletta Washington’s attention long before that.

The Equalizer actor met Pauletta (née Pearson) on the set of his first film, Wilma, in 1977. However, it wasn’t until months later, at a party hosted by a mutual friend, that they actually spoke.

The couple eventually married in 1983 and had four children. When it comes to raising their now-adult children, Denzel has praised Pauletta a lot.

“You can buy a house, but that doesn’t make it a home,” Denzel told PEOPLE in 2018. “And not to say a man can’t make a home a home, but my wife has made our house a home, and raised these beautiful kids and protected them and sacrificed for them, she did the heavy lifting.”

While accepting the American Film Institute’s life achievement award in 2019, Denzel mentioned he “wouldn’t survive” without his wife’s love and support. “I would not be alive without Pauletta Washington,” he said.

The Remember the Titans actor praised Pauletta again in November 2023 when he appeared on Tom Brady’s radio show, Let’s Go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray.

“I have been blessed beyond measure with the greatest woman in the world, who not only is a beautiful woman and a great wife and a great mother of our children, but she holds everything together,” Denzel said.

Today, Pauletta continues to support Denzel. Most recently, she and three of their children, Katia, John David, and Olivia, attended the opening night of Othello on Broadway in March 2025 to see Denzel perform in the lead role.

So, who is the actress, philanthropist, and musician that Denzel Washington can’t live without? Here’s everything to know about Pauletta Washington.

She is a classically trained pianist and vocalist

According to the Winston-Salem Journal, Pauletta began entering piano competitions at age 10 before studying at the North Carolina School of the Arts, The Juilliard School, and the University of North Texas.

She also recorded the song “It’s In Your Eyes” for the soundtrack of Denzel’s 1993 film Philadelphia.

She’s an accomplished actress

Pauletta started her acting career on Broadway, starring in Jesus Christ Superstar and Shakespeare’s Cabaret, among other productions, according to the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. She then moved on to TV and film, landing her first on-screen role in the same movie where she met her future husband.

“The first movie I ever did — TV movie — was about Wilma Rudolph and I played Wilma Rudolph’s boyfriend,” Denzel said on Live with Kelly and Ryan in 2018. “Pauletta was one of the track stars. I met her then, but I didn’t meet her then. I saw her then.”

Since then, she has built an impressive career in TV. From 2017 to 2019, she worked on the series adaptation of She’s Gotta Have It, and in 2021, she played Aretha Franklin’s grandmother Rachel in the biography series Genius: Aretha Franklin. She has also continued to perform on Broadway, starring in various productions.

She and Denzel have different memories of how they met

In a 1996 interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Pauletta shared that she met Denzel at a party hosted by a mutual friend from Wilma.

“Denzel and his friends came at the very end of the party,” she remembered. “We spoke again. We were reintroduced. And then the next night, I went to a play. I got there late, so I snuck in and just sat down. I didn’t look at who was around me, and at intermission, the lights came up, and we were sitting next to each other.”

Pauletta said she began to like Denzel over time. “I thought he was cute, but I fell in love with his spirit, really,” she told Winfrey. “That I saw first. And then I thought, ‘Not a bad package,’ you know?”

While Pauletta made it seem like their meeting was a happy accident, Denzel remembered it differently.

“I had talked at that party, I talked about going to see a play. I went to see the play and at intermission, the lights came up and she was sitting [there],” he remembered on Live with Kelly and Ryan. “She said she just happened to go see the play … I’m getting in trouble as I speak!”

She paid for the cab on their first date

In 2017, Denzel talked about his first date with Pauletta during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He planned to pay for the cab, but things didn’t go as he expected.

“I was gonna splurge and we were gonna take a cab,” he said. “And the meter’s going, and I’m going, ‘Uh oh … how far away does she live?’ She paid.”

She turned down two proposals from Denzel.

At the 2013 premiere of Denzel’s movie 2 Guns, Pauletta told Access Hollywood that Denzel proposed to her three times. Denzel disagreed, saying it was only twice.

“It was three times. I know with age sometimes things [go], the mind,” Pauletta joked.

“You heard it here first,” Denzel said. “She turned me down, she said no. And since it was three times, that means she turned me down twice.”

They married in 1983

Denzel and Pauletta got married in June 1983.

During his 2017 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Denzel shared that their wedding had a small issue. “We were shaking so many hands, taking pictures, they ran out of food,” he told Kimmel. “We ended up at [a diner], we had eggs or something. True story.”

After their 41st wedding anniversary in 2024, Pauletta told that there is “no secret” to their successful marriage.

“We work at it. It’s work,” she said. “There are a lot of prayers for strength for staying in a forgiveness mode. But it’s the basic love that we have for each other.”

She took a break from her career to raise their children.

When Denzel began starring in the TV series St. Elsewhere in 1982, Pauletta decided to step back from music and acting to focus on raising their four children.

“When I became pregnant … [St. Elsewhere] was shooting in Los Angeles and I was here on Broadway,” she said in a 2011 interview with Wendy Williams. “Where would the child be, you know, in the air? So I decided that I wanted to — it was my choice — to be home and create a home. I’m so happy I did.”

She is a philanthropist

According to Spelman College, Pauletta is one of the founding and executive members of The Brain Trust of Cedars-Sinai, a group that raises money and awareness for research into brain tumors and the central nervous system. She is also on the board of trustees at Spelman.

In 2005, she and Denzel were given the BET Humanitarian Award for the Pauletta and Denzel Washington Gifted Scholars Program in Neuroscience. According to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the program provides undergraduate and graduate-level researchers with funds and resources to work with well-known physicians, neurosurgeons, and scientists in their fields.

She’s a kitchen wizard

In 2018, Denzel spoke about the secret to their long marriage. “I do what I’m told. I keep my mouth shut,” he joked.

He also shared what he appreciates most about his wife. “What pops into my head: security, food, a beautiful home,” he said.

When asked about her cooking, specifically, Denzel added, “She has a few [specialties]. I’ve been eating her curry chicken since I’ve known her. I used to make it too, but not as good as hers.”

Their children are following in their footsteps

The couple’s oldest son, John David, started his adult life as a professional football player. After playing for Morehouse College, John David briefly joined the St. Louis Rams. He also played in Germany with NFL Europe and for the United Football League’s Sacramento Mountain Lions for three seasons.

After his football career, John David made a name for himself in Hollywood. He starred in movies like BlacKkKlansman, Tenet, and Malcolm & Marie. In October 2022, he began performing in the Broadway production of The Piano Lesson with Samuel L. Jackson and Danielle Brooks.

John David spoke in 2020 about how his parents influenced his career.

“I think the best actor in the industry, in the business, is my father,” he said. “I’m inspired by the kind of career he’s had and what he’s had to do. Again, he’s been on the frontline for many years and what he’s done with it, with his opportunities, I just am so inspired and continue to be inspired by what he does and how he works and his approach to the craft and the business.”

As for his mother, he said, “Pauletta Washington inspires me. That’s my mother, the most consistent person in my life.”

The couple’s daughter, Olivia, is also an actress. In an October 2021 appearance on Good Morning America, Denzel discussed how his and Pauletta’s children are all skilled in the arts.

“I’m a dad, so I’m gonna keep saying it: Olivia Washington is a great young actress. Very, very, very good young actress, so she’s coming for her brother [John David],” he joked. “It’s a team sport in our house.”

Their other children work behind the scenes; son Malcolm is a director and producer, and daughter Katia is also a producer.

In November 2024, Denzel and Pauletta supported their sons at the Los Angeles premiere of The Piano Lesson, starring John David. The film also marked Malcolm’s directorial debut.