Actor, director, producer, and the multi-talented Denzel Washington has played in many roles during his illustrious career. After making his acting debut more than two decades ago, this two-time Oscar winner, and devastatingly handsome actor is still unstoppable, and memorable to many fans and new moviegoers. Washington starred in the television drama "St. Elsewhere" in the 1980s and was nominated for an Oscar in the film “Cry Freedom.” He became the first African-American to pick up two Academy Awards and he received 3 Golden Globes and a Tony Award for Fences.The native from Mount Vernon, New York, also won the Best Supporting Actor Award in 1989 for “Glory.” He picked up his second Oscar (Best Actor) in "Training Day.” Some other great films to his credit are as follows: “Philadelphia,” “The Book of Eli,” “Safe House,” “The Pelican, Brief,” “Crimson Tide,” and “Courage Under Fire.” You might not know that Washington was sent to military school, and this could be the reason he’s been drawn to play several roles as military personnel. He has played Major Ben Marco in “The Manchurian Candidate,” and Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling in the role in “Courage Under Fire."

The beginnings were humble for this larger-than-life star. His mother Lennis was worried that her son would get into the wrong crowds, so she made a decision to enroll him into prep school. She believed that doing this would help her son to focus in the arts, sports, music, keep him off the streets, and thrive. Washington shared how his mother always would pray for him, and Heaven answered. Not only did her son remain off the streets, but he did consider becoming a preacher and reads his Bible daily. He often wondered if he should have chosen a professional career as a pastor, and admitted that a part of him wishes he took a job in the pulpit. But he said it was important to do good as a Christian while he was working in Hollywood. Washington has pushed ahead, and has continued to defy odds by being married to his wife Paula Pearson since 1983, something that is rare in Hollywood. Need some more Washington? Here are 11 cool facts on the man that still has "it" and who is letting his faith still shine.

He won a talent show.

Washington stunned his audiences at YMCA summer camp, and at the Boys & Girls Club. He was encouraged to consider acting. He would later return to Fordham University and graduate with a B.A. in Drama and Journalism.

He is a spokesperson.

Washington has been a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Club. After school he spent time at the club to play sports.

He loved Whitney Houston.

Whitney Houston kept turning down the role of Julia Biggs in “The Preacher’s Wife,” but did that stop Washington? No! He kept calling her up for a year before she agreed.

He does his own stunts.

Washington does own stunts! In 2010 for “The Book of Eli” he did the fighting scene sequences, and loved it. He is one tough guy!

He went to military school.

Washington went to military school when he was 14. His parents sent him to Oakland Military Academy in New Windsor, New York. The school is now closed, but the actor credits the experience for helping him to stay out of trouble since he was spending time with some kids, who were getting into mischief.

A word from God.

Washington was 20 and was struggling in college at Fordham University in the Bronx, when he received a prophecy at his mother’s beauty salon. “You’re going to speak to millions of people. You’re going to do great things,” a customer wrote on a piece of paper. He doubted it, since he was flunking out of college. Things turned around and today he still has the piece of paper to remind him that God has his back.

His dad was a pastor.

Washington told Parade magazine that his dad was a Pentecostal minister, who had two churches. “My father had a job, and he also had two churches." He went on and shared his father a spirit-filled man until he passed away in 1991.

He has a bad pinky finger.

During a game of basketball as a kid, Washington broke his pinky finger. It is still crooked and bent 45 degrees from his other fingers. His pinky finger was never set back right, but we never really noticed, or care!

True beauty.

Denzel has the perfect face! Newsweek did a piece in the 1990s on facial symmetry, as this is an indicator of attractiveness. The author used Washington as a prime example of perfection. The symmetry of one’s face is what makes one the most attractive. The article was called "Biological Basis of the Perceptions of Beauty,” and Washington had the factors that makes him perfect. He had the perfectly centered nose perfectly aligned eyes, lips, and ears. Symmetry, we guess is considered much more powerful, and profound than almost anyone ever imagined. We have no arguments here.

He is a typical dad.

Washington ran errands and took his four kids to all sorts of sports and school events. He said that family was life and entertainment was fantasy. Being famous is not his focus, taking care of the people in life are.

He battles with wanting to be a preacher sometimes.

Washington always had the nagging thought that he compromised by choosing to do entertainment. “A part of me still says, ‘Maybe, Denzel, you’re supposed to preach. Maybe you’re still compromising,’” he said during an 1999 interview.

Denzel Washington has always been good on the eyes, and we look forward in watching him for years to come. We will leave you with some sage advice from Washington. “You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too. That's a part of it.” Maybe this is why he has succeed so much. What makes him fascinating is his faith as well. He credited prayer guiding him in selecting projects and in every day decisions. Reading the Bible has continued to be an important aspect for him in life as well. “I don't know how many years ago, just reading the Bible from cover to cover. And started with the New Testament and went back to the Old Testament, and went back to the New Testament. In fact, today I just finished the Book of Acts, where Paul is back in Rome and living in Rome and preaching, teaching. So that's how I start my day every morning,” he said in an interview with Beliefnet.