When you’re married to a man as handsome as Denzel Washington, you might think the constant attention from admirers could be a bit much. For the average woman it might be, but not for his wife of 41 years, Pauletta Washington.
For her, it’s just another day in the life of being Mrs. Washington.
Pauletta’s security in her marriage didn’t take decades and decades to develop. She’s been like that from the start.
In a resurfaced clip from a 1996 episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Pauletta, who has been married to the Oscar-winning actor since 1983, shared some hilarious insights into what it’s like being married to one of Hollywood’s biggest heartthrobs.
Winfrey, never one to mince words, kicked off the conversation by pointing out the obvious: “All the women go crazy, you know that, Pauletta.”
With a sly smile, Denzel’s wife quipped, “You know what? They’ve got great taste.”
But it wasn’t just his good looks that caught Pauletta’s eye. During the conversation, she reflected on their early days and how she met the “Training Day” actor and what drew her in.
Pauletta recalled, “I thought he was cute, but I fell in love with his spirit. That’s what I saw first, and then I thought, ‘Not a bad package.’”
At the time of their appearance on the show, they had been together between 18 to 19 years and were married for 13.
Their love story began at a party hosted by a mutual friend, followed by a chance encounter at a play the next night.
“I snuck in late, didn’t even look at who was around me, and at intermission, there we were, sitting next to each other,” Pauletta shared. “Meant to be,” Oprah chimed in.
The broadcast journalist then probed to find out when the world started swooning over Denzel.
Happy 39th Wedding Anniversary Pauletta & Denzel Washington pic.twitter.com/SsviK2ACaw
— Brandon Carter (@1BrandonCarter) June 27, 2021
According to Pauletta, it all began when he took on the lead role of Malcolm X at the Henry Street Theater back in 1981. Over a decade later he starred in a movie as Malcolm X directed by Spike Lee, which also featured a cameo from their son, John David Washington.
“I could sense it then,” she said. “The phone was ringing more, we’d go out, and I’d see more people gravitate towards him.”
And as Denzel’s stardom continued to rise, so did the boldness of his admirers.
Oprah couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t the women bold?” But the “She’s Gotta Have It” Netflix series star didn’t miss a beat, agreeing, “Ohh, very.”
One of the most memorable moments Pauletta shared involved her being pregnant with their first child.
“I was out to here,” she laughed, gesturing to show how big her belly was at the time. “And I’m standing there thinking I’m looking as cute as I possibly can with swollen ankles and everything. This woman comes over and totally blocked me. I’m thinking … Wait a minute.”
She shocked Oprah when she revealed she wasn’t the slightest bit worried.
“You know why?” Pauletta said with a grin. “’Cause he’s coming home,” while Denzel sat with his mouth open in shock.
An Instagram page titled History Photographed posted the short segment from the interview on its profile, and many of it’s followers applauded the “Reasonable Doubt” star for being such a class act and Denzel for being in love with his lady.
One of its followers said Pauletta gave a “Perfect answer” to the question.
On the YouTube page, one person said, “She has a queen mentality. This is why she has him. Not jealous and controlled by her emotions.”
Another person asked the women in the comment section, “Now ladies, let’s be real…could you have Pauletta’s mindset in today’s society? Remember, you have Denzel by your side / coming home to you.”
“The look he gave his wife she knows she doesn’t need to worry,” one person said. The look had women in the chat saying, “Mrs. Washington won the lottery.”
Others focused on Oprah, and wondered why would she even ask the question, calling her messy.
“How annoying was Oprah to that comment. Ugh,” one person asked, as others snapped, “Oprah is a little mixer , causes trouble,” and wrote, “Oprah was Wendy William’s just not as loud.”
Still, most people celebrated Denzel and Pauletta’s love story. The Washingtons, who have been married for over 40 years, share four children: John David, Katia, and twins Olivia and Malcolm.
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
— Non-Presenting Hood Black Girl (@IamNiaRae) May 26, 2024
The two-time Oscar winner may be one of the most celebrated actors of our time, but it’s clear that Pauletta, who is an actress in her own right, is the real star of the show when it comes to keeping their love strong.
As she told Oprah, there’s no need to worry about those adoring fans because, at the end of the day, Denzel always knows where his heart truly lies.
