Since Denzel Washington first caught the attention of academy voters with his work in “Cry Freedom,” he has racked up nine Oscar nominations for acting. That ties him with Paul Newman, Al Pacino, and Spencer Tracy among actors. Only Jack Nicholson (12) and Laurence Olivier (10) have more bids.
Denzel Washington has been nominated seven times for Best Actor and twice for Best Supporting Actor. In terms of screen time, his lead performances average out to one hour, 29 minutes, and six seconds (or 63.12% of the respective films). The average for his pair of featured turns is 31 minutes and 31 seconds (or 23.07%). Check out our gallery and screen time analysis of Washington’s nine Oscar-nominated performances
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2022 – ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ (Best Actor)
Image Credit: A24; Apple TV+ 43 minutes, 36 seconds (41.48% of the film)
Nearly three decades after starring in 1993’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” Washington made a return to Shakespearean film acting by tackling the role of Macbeth, one of the bard’s most complex antiheroes. By a margin of over 29 minutes, this is the shortest lead performance for which he has ever earned academy recognition.
In order of time on screen, Washington’s four competitors are Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos”) with 55 minutes and 38 seconds (42.11%), Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of the Dog”) with 58 minutes and 37 seconds (45.55%), Will Smith (“King Richard”) with one hour, 30 minutes, and 10 seconds (62.33%), and Andrew Garfield (“tick, tick… BOOM!”) with one hour, 32 minutes, and 13 seconds (75.84%).
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2018 – ‘Roman J. Israel, Esq.’ (Best Actor)
Image Credit: Sony Pictures 1 hour, 35 minutes, 0 seconds (77.73% of the film)
Washington’s sixth Best Actor bid came for his portrayal of this film’s title character, a small-time defense lawyer who gets in over his head with a new case. His was the second longest performance in that year’s lineup and ranked over six minutes and 6% above its average.
Gary Oldman was chosen as the winner for his one hour, 22 minutes, and 47 seconds of work in “Darkest Hour,” which amounts to 66.34% of the film. His was the second shortest performance in the bunch.
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2017 – ‘Fences’ (Best Actor)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures 1 hour, 33 minutes, 35 seconds (67.47% of the film)
Washington earned his fifth lead nomination for recreating his Tony-winning stage role of Troy Maxson, an aging Pennsylvania garbage man who begins to seriously clash with his wife and son. He had the second most screen time in this case and ranked over 11 minutes and 5% above the average.
He lost to Casey Affleck, whose performance in “Manchester by the Sea” was the longest in the group at one hour, 40 minutes, and two seconds (or 72.80% of the film).
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2013 – ‘Flight’ (Best Actor)
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures 1 hour, 40 minutes, 37 seconds (72.66% of the film)
Washington’s fourth Best Actor bid came for playing airline pilot Whip Whitaker, who successfully lands a crashing plane with minimal casualties but then struggles to hide the fact that he was drunk during the incident. In this case, he had the most screen time and the second highest percentage, ranking over 16 minutes and 12% above the average.
He was bested here by Daniel Day-Lewis, whose performance in “Lincoln” totals one hour, 17 minutes, and six seconds, or 51.47% of the film. He had the second least screen time among the nominees.
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2002 – ‘Training Day’ (Best Actor)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. 1 hour, 13 minutes, 16 seconds (60.08% of the film)
Washington’s sole lead win to date came for his role as Alozo Harris, a corrupt L. A. narcotics officer who attempts to take a rookie (Ethan Hawke) under his wing. He had the second least screen time that year and fell over 15 minutes and 5% below the average. Hawke was nominated as a supporting player despite the fact that his performance is 71 seconds and 0.97% longer than Washington’s.
Washington’s competitors’ screen times ranged from 70 to 118 minutes and 54 to 75%.
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2000 – ‘The Hurricane’ (Best Actor)
Image Credit: Universal Pictures 1 hour, 15 minutes, 41 seconds (51.94% of the film)
Washington earned his second lead bid for playing Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a real-life professional boxer who was falsely convicted of murder in 1967. He had the most actual screen time that year but fell in the middle percentage-wise. His performance ranked over 11 minutes above the year’s average and 0.26% below it.
Kevin Spacey emerged victorious this time, having given a 48-minute and 34-second performance in “American Beauty” which takes up 39.98% of the film. His was the lowest screen time in the group by either metric.
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1993 – ‘Malcolm X’ (Best Actor)
Image Credit: Warner Bros. 2 hours, 21 minutes, 58 seconds (70.49% of the film)
Washington received his first lead nomination for taking on the role of Malcolm X, the real-life civil rights leader who stood out from his contemporaries by condoning violence. He towered over his competitors by a margin of over 46 minutes but only had the year’s second highest percentage. He ranked over 48 minutes and 8% above the average.
Al Pacino was chosen as the winner in this case for appearing in one hour, 35 minutes, and 48 seconds (or 61.31%) of “Scent of a Woman.” He had the second most screen time but the second lowest percentage. To date, Washington’s performance here remains the longest ever nominated for Best Actor.
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1990 – ‘Glory’ (Best Supporting Actor)
Image Credit: Sony Pictures 33 minutes, 12 seconds (27.21% of the film)
Washington scored his first victory for his portrayal of Silas Trip, an Army private who serves the Union during the American Civil War. He had the second most screen time in this case and landed over five minutes and 2% above the average.
His competitors’ screen times ranged from 10 to 44 minutes and 9 to 43%.
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1988 – ‘Cry Freedom’ (Best Supporting Actor)
Image Credit: Universal Pictures 29 minutes, 50 seconds (18.93% of the film)
Washington’s first Oscar-nominated performance remains his shortest. This time, his actual time put him in the middle of the lineup while his percentage put him in second place. His role was that of Steve Biko, a South African human rights activist who ultimately lost his life in his fight against aparthied.
Washington lost on his first outing to Sean Connery, who appeared in 33 minutes and 33 seconds (or 28.13%) of “The Untouchables.” He had the second most actual screen time and landed in the middle of the group percentage-wise.
