Actor Denzel Washington was honored during Sunday night’s Golden Globe ceremony with the 2016 Cecil B. DeMille Award, which pays tribute to a person who has made a substantial impact on the entertainment industry.
“I’m speechless,” Washington said on stage at the Beverly Hilton after being presented the award by Tom Hanks, with whom he starred in “Philadelphia.”
Washington brought his family onto the stage with him to accept the award. He thanked them and also the Hollywood Foreign Press Association “for supporting me over the years.”
“They’ve always made me feel like a friend or part of the party,” he said.
Washington, 61, has won two Golden Globes in his career — a supporting actor prize in 1990 for “Glory” and a best actor in a drama award in 2000 for “The Hurricane.” He received Globe nominations for his work in the films “Flight,” “American Gangster,” “Training Day,” “Malcolm X” and “Cry Freedom.”
Washington won Oscars for “Glory” and “Training Day.”
He most recently appeared in director Antoine Fuqua’s “The Equalizer” and will also appear in Fuqua’s next film, “The Magnificent Seven.”
“Washington’s long and storied career is earmarked by his countless roles in front and behind the camera,” Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Lorenzo Soria said. “It is the HFPA’s privilege to honor his contributions to the entertainment industry with the Cecil B. DeMille Award.”
George Clooney received the 2015 Cecil B. DeMille Award. Previous recipients include Woody Allen, Jodie Foster, Steven Spielberg, Anthony Hopkins, Michael Douglas, Martin Scorsese, Gene Hackman, Al Pacino and Barbra Streisand.