Actor Denzel Washington shared that his son is a “mama’s boy,” in the best sense of the word. So much so he wasn’t incredibly shocked when his youngest child dedicated his first film to his mother, Pauletta Washington
33-year-old Malcolm Washington is the director of the new movie, “The Piano Lesson,” adapted from the 1987 Tony-winning August Wilson play, starring his brother John David Washington, Erykah Badu, and the Samuel L. Jackson.
While his dad also served as a producer on the project, he didn’t get the shoutout at the end of the film, in which his mother serves as lead producer.
In an interview with Extra, Washington shared his first thoughts when he saw the credits roll and saw the dedication.
Interviewer Mona Kosar Abdi asked, “Denzel, I want to know your take on Malcolm dedicating this film to Pauletta?”
“You mean after I went, ‘Where’s dad?’” the Academy Award winner answered with a laugh.
“I think I’m still sore now. Yeah, I was waiting — it’s gonna keep scrolling, something else is coming up. I know. But nothing did. Then is a serious moment, he talked about the love his son has for his mother,” Washington continued.
“He — and I say this with all the love and he’ll tell you — he is a mama’s boy. He will sit in his mama’s lap now,” the “Malcolm X” actor added.
Fans were quick to chime in when the outlet posted the interview online, noting that the Washingtons were “A beautiful family.” The film’s co-producer Todd Black said it was “pretty fun every day” on set with the Washingtons, adding, “It was a blast actually.”
Denzel and Pauletta have four children: John David, 40; Katia, 36; and twins Malcolm and Olivia, 33.
Of course Denzel’s own children are now full blown members of Hollywood, Olivia+John David are both actors, and Katia+Malcolm are Producer/Director/Screenwriters respectively. pic.twitter.com/oedYHafa5z
— Nia (@_niaspeaks) May 26, 2024
All of the Washington children are connected to the film industry, whether working as actors, producers or directors.
John David, the eldest, was nominated for a Golden Globe for his work as the lead in Spike Lee’s film, “BlacKkKlansman. A Morehouse graduate, before entering into the entertainment world, he was college football player and got an NFL tryout.
His sister Katia graduated from Yale and has focused her career on producing. In addition to earning a producer credit on her little brother’s upcoming film, she was the co-executive producer on “Malcolm & Marie,” a black-and white-movie that starred Zendaya as the love interest to her brother John David.
Olivia has been working as an actor for years, appearing in Oprah Winfrey’s movie, “The Butler,” and earning an Independent Spirit Award when she played Flora in the 2023 movie, “I’m a Virgo,” according to ABC News.
She has also worked with her father twice: in the thriller “The Little Things” and the 2021 film “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”
Malcolm’s entrée into the Hollywood scene would be with his directorial debut, where he turned to his mother on set for support, according to Black.
“She was on set with us,” Black said, adding that “She’s a huge part of all four kids’s lives.”
“I mean these are amazing parents,” Black continued. “I’ve watched them for so many years now and they’re both amazing parents. And you know Pauletta, [there is] just has such care and guidance and a firm hand.”
He further complimented their “great parenting” and how respectable all of the Washington children are to their parents and to others around.
Key to this, according to Pauletta, is putting “prayer” in all they do.
Denzel and Pauletta have been married for 41 years, and their bonds as husband and wife are inspiring to many.
While Denzel was being interviewed during the American Black Film Festival in June 2024, he stopped an interview with Chaz Ebert, he reached in his pants pocket and pulled out his phone to FaceTime his wife. Pauletta was shocked, but she went along with it graciously, understanding her husband’s nature and what it meant to the audience.
However, according to the “Mo’ Betta Blues” actor, she did roll her eyes initially.
A resurfaced video made the rounds on social media from a 1996 episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” On the show, Pauletta was asked by Oprah about what it was like to be married to a heartthrob and she recounted a story of a woman trying to kick it to her man while she was pregnant.
“I’m standing there thinking I’m looking as cute as I possibly can with swollen ankles and everything,” she recalled. “This woman comes over and totally blocked me. I’m thinking … Wait a minute.”
Fans noticed not just how she told the story, but how Denzel looked at her while she shared. Many said that love was in his eyes and he didn’t care about that other lady at all.
“The look he gave his wife she knows she doesn’t need to worry,” one comment read. Others said, “Mrs. Washington won the lottery.”
It is no wonder why she got the special shout out as the matriarch of the Washington clan.
