In this 2009 action movie, Denzel Washington plays Walter Garber, a dispatcher who works for the New York City subway system and is being investigated for taking a bribe in order to ensure the subway's next contract. John Travolta plays the villain, Bernard Ryder, a former subway operator, who hi-jacks the Pelham 123 train demanding $10 million for release of the hostages he's taken.
2. Jerome Davenport
Answer: Antwone Fisher
Based on the true story of author Antwone Fisher (played by actor Derek Luke), this 2002 release followed his life from childhood in the foster care system in Ohio, to his career in the United States Navy, to his re-connection with his extended family. Washington, who also played the role of Dr. Jerome Davenport, the naval psychiatrist who helps Fisher come to terms with his childhood issues, made his directorial debut with this film.
3. Reuben James
Answer: For Queen and Country
In this film from 1988, Washington plays Reuben James, a former British military man, who finds it difficult adjusting to life after leaving the service. Washington even used a British accent in this role which provided a bit of insight to his flexibility as an actor.
4. Joe Miller
Answer: Philadelphia
"Philadelphia", a Johnathan Demme film from 1993, was the story of Andrew Beckett (played by Tom Hanks), a homosexual lawyer who was wrongly fired from his firm because of his being HIV positive. Beckett hires Joe Miller (Washington), who is a hemophiliac and has hangups about Beckett's condition, but later comes to realize his fears were unfounded, to take on his case.
While Washington's role did not get him and Academy award nomination, Hanks won his first Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Beckett.
5. Parker Barnes
Answer: Virtuosity
In 1995, Denzel Washington appeared in the movie, "Virtuosity", which was the story of a virtual reality simulation coming to life and terrorizing society. SID 6.7 (played by Russell Crowe) was supposed to be a simulation to help policemen be able to better protect cities against criminals, but SID somehow breaks free of his fake world, enters ours and, with over 150 different personalities of serial killers within him, goes on a killing massive spree. Parker Barnes (Washington), an ex-police officer, is the only one who can end this nightmare come to life as he eventually traps SID in a neverending virtual loop in the countdown phase of the bomb he had planted which Barnes had defused.
6. Lincoln Rhyme
Answer: The Bone Collector
1999 saw Denzel Washington pair with Angelina Jolie (Detective Amelia Donaghy) in "The Bone Collector", a movie about a quadriplegic ex-New York policeman, Lincoln Rhyme, who had lost his ability to move everything except for his head and a single finger after being involved in a sewer accident. Believing there to be no real quality of life left for himself, Rhyme wants to commit suicide but, once New York finds itself in the midst of a serial killing spree, his focus shifts from himself to solving the case with Donaghy's help. Leland Orser played the villain.
7. Doug Carlin
Answer: Deja Vu
"Deja Vu" was a 2006 movie in which an Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms(ATF) Agent, Doug Carlin (Washington), catches a case involving the death of a beautiful, young woman named Claire Kuchever (Paula Patton) who was found washed up on the New Orleans coastline after a ferry is blown up by Carroll Oerstadt (played by Jim Caviezel) during Mardi Gras. Oerstadt is disillusioned and angered by the fact that he truly loves America and wanted to serve in the military, but because of his mental instability, was twice rejected, leading him to want to lash out at society. Using technology that the FBI developed which can not only view events as much as 96 hours in the past, but also transport a person back that far in time, Carlin uses the technology in order to travel back and prevent the tragedies from happening.
8. Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins
Answer: Devil In A Blue Dress
Adapted from author Walter Mosley's book of the same name, "Devil In A Blue Dress", this 1995 movie saw Washington cast as lead character, Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins, a former WWII veteran who is hired to find Daphne Monet (played by Jennifer Beals), a white woman who is reported missing and was last seen somewhere in an African American community in Los Angeles. Don Cheadle, who plays Rawlins' friend, Mouse Alexander, really provides a standout performance and steals virtually every scene in which he appears.
In fact, Cheadle's role garnered him an Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor nomination at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, in 1996.
9. Melvin B. Tolson
Answer: The Great Debaters
Based on the true story of Wiley College professor Melvin B. Tolson, Washington plays the title role in this 2007 film. Tolson was the driving force behind the formation of Wiley College's first debate team which he led to the national finals against Harvard University, in 1935. The movie was nominated in 2008 at the Golden Globe Awards for Best Picture.
10. Private Trip
Answer: Glory
Set during the American Civil War and adapted from the Lincoln Kirstein book entitled, 'Lay This Laurel', "Glory"(1989) was the story of the first African-American Union army regiment. With a cast which included Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and Matthew Broderick, the movie was nominated for 18 Oscars, winning three of them: Best Cinematography, Best Sound, and a Best Supporting Actor win for Mr. Washington.
As Private Trip, a runaway slave who joins up with the Union regiment, Washington provides the character with a dignity and defiance that was most likely not seen during that ugly time in America's history, and no scene displayed that point more powerfully than the one in which Trip is re-captured after he was believed to have gone AWOL (in actuality, he was only looking for better shoes to replace his worn out ones). As Trip is beaten in front of the rest of the men, he endures the lashings without uttering an anguished cry. The only indications of the whip striking his back are the snapping sound it makes upon his body and a single tear which wells up in his eye, hanging there for what seems like an eternity, until is finally rolls down Trip's cheek. It is a very moving scene indeed.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ponycargirl before going online.
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