10 Things You Don't Know About Denzel Washington

Double Oscar winner Denzel Washington, 68, is once again portraying crime-fighting vigilante Robert McCall in The Equalizer 3 nearly a decade after launching the film franchise. But the action flick is just the latest high-profile role for Denzel, who got his first big break in 1982 as a regular on NBC’s St. Elsewhere. Here are ten things you don’t know about the accomplished actor, producer and director.

1 His mother sent him to a private military academy at age 14. “That decision changed my life,” says the reformed troublemaker.

2 He intended to become a doctor — but took an acting class at Fordham University after hearing it was an easy way to earn a good grade and switched gears.

3 A patron of his mom’s beauty shop in Mount Vernon, N.Y., predicted his fame by telling him: “You’re going to travel the world, and you’re going to speak to millions of people.”