Are John David Washington and Denzel Washington Related? They're a Dream Team

People, Event, Crowd, Audience, — (Image credit: Allen Berezovsky)

John David Washington, in addition to looking a whole lot like dad Denzel, has also been bitten by the acting bug. After stealing every scene of Ballers as an up-and-coming football player, John David delivered an acclaimed performance in Spike Lee's Oscar-nominated BlacKkKlansman. And for your daily dose of "aw!", you should know that John David and dad Denzel Washington have a tight relationship—and that Denzel has been 100 percent behind his son as John David takes off as an actor.

Here's what we know about this father-son dream team.

Denzel used to coach his son.

Interestingly, John David Washington made a name for himself as a football player before he delved into acting. When it came to his father's coaching skills, John David laughed, "He's a great actor...He was getting into character with us, into those very long-winded speeches."

And John David has supported his dad.

As far back as 2010, John David was spotted on the red carpet, in this case coming out for Denzel's film The Book of Eli. John Washington even made a cameo in one of Denzel's early films (more on that below).

Facial expression, Event, Premiere, Suit, Fashion, Formal wear, Fun, Smile, Dress, Tuxedo,

His connection to Denzel helped him get the Ballers gig.

According to Men's Journal, casting director Sheila Jaffe was having trouble casting a real player who could act. At the time, John David was still in the midst of his football career—and suddenly she remembered Denzel's son. Per Men's Journal:

She threw a Hail Mary and called Denzel’s agent to inquire about John David, who hadn’t appeared onscreen since he was nine years old, when he stood up in a classroom and exclaimed, “I am Malcolm X!” at the end of his father’s film.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

They were together when John David got a Golden Globe nom.

When the announcements were about to be broadcast, John David told Today, "My father (Denzel) woke me up. He's like, 'It's time, it's time, let's go!'" They hugged and cheered when they heard his name, and called John David's mom to share the news. "They were in tears, 'cause they know their baby boy has been working hard," he said.

"We just hugged for what felt like for about 10 minutes," he told E! News. "We just held each other." His dad received his first nom 30 years ago in the same category.

Denzel gives him tough-love dad advice.

John David was initially reluctant to be in his father's shadow. “If I try to act like him or make movie choices like him, I’m going to fail,” he told Men's Journal. “I love him. He’s one of my favorite actors of all time, but I can’t do that. Nobody can do that.”

And his father gives him short, simple advice, he says: “Keep working. You ain’t good enough.” But at the same time, Denzel always supported his son's aspirations—he just wants to pass on a lesson and legacy of hard work.

And John Washington has learned a lot.

Extra asked John David how his dad had influenced him. “He’s my father, so the influences of a man, how to be an African-American man in this country, how to honor the craft, to work hard.”

Hair, Facial hair, Beard, Hairstyle, Moustache, Forehead, Spokesperson,

Please, please walk the Oscars red carpet together, you two.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.