Denzel Washington was baptized and presented with a minister license on Saturday at the Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ, located in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood.
The baptism, which was live streamed on Facebook, took place a few weeks after Washington told Esquire during his “Gladiator II” press tour that being Christian in Hollywood “is not fashionable.” By obtaining a minister license, Washington can be ordained in the future.
“In one week I turn 70,” Washington said at the ceremony. “It took a while but I’m here. If [God] can do this for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you. The sky literally is the limit.“
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Washington was joined at his baptism by his wife, Pauletta Washington. She fought tears as she spoke about how proud she was to be in attendance with Denzel as he took his next steps in his faith journey.
“Forty-six years later, here I’m still standing next to him as only God will have it,” Pauletta said. “So I’m very proud of you. You are the head of our house and you have set a great example for our children, who are now adult children who know the difference because we have shown them the difference.”
Speaking to Esquire for a November cover story, Washington said “it’s not fashionable” to be so outwardly Christian in Hollywood. He added: “It’s not sexy. But that doesn’t mean people in Hollywood don’t believe.”
“Things I said about God when I was a little boy, just reciting them in church along with everybody else, I know now. God is real. God is love. God is the only way. God is the true way. God blesses,” Washington said.
“It’s my job to lift God up, to give Him praise, to make sure that anyone and everyone I speak to the rest of my life understands that He is responsible for me.”
“When you see me, you see the best I could do with what I’ve been given by my lord and savior. I’m unafraid. I don’t care what anyone thinks,” he added. “See, talking about the fear part of it — you can’t talk like that and win Oscars. You can’t talk like that and party. You can’t say that in this town.”
Washington is strongly tipped to land another Oscar nomination thanks to his performance in “Gladiator 2.”