Happy Birthday Denzel Washington! A Look At His Amazing Marriage

We all know Denzel Washington as an A-list actor with two Golden Globe awards, two Academy Awards and a Tony award.

However, what many may not know is that before all of that, he is a dedicated family man, with a wife of almost thirty years. They even renewed their vows in South Africa in 1995 after 12 years of marriage.

The family man turned 58 on Friday!

"Acting is just a way of making a living," Washington told The Washington Post. "Family is life. When you experience a child, you know that’s life."

The couple tied the knot in 1983 and have four children: 28-year-old John David, who signed a football contract with the St. Louis Rams in 2006; 25-year-old Katia, who attended Yale University; and 21-year-old twins Olivia and Malcolm.

In 2007, when Reader’s Digest asked Washington about his parenting styles, he had to praise his wife. "It’s what my wife and I learned from our parents, and applying religious instruction, discipline, athletic activity and academic excellence whenever possible," he said. "My wife’s done a great job. She’s been the consistent one, just trying to give them a normal life."

"I thought he was cute, but I fell in love with his spirit," Pearson once told Oprah Winfrey about meeting Washington in 1977. The two met on the set of the TV movie Wilma, Washington’s first television debut. "And then I thought, 'Hmm, not a bad package.'"

No it’s not. She doesn’t even mind when he flirts, she told Essence magazine, because at the end of the night, he comes home to her and their family!

Then, in 2008, the Flight star told Winfrey, "People who say they knew (if their spouse was the one) right away are lying! It's a marathon, not a sprint." Well, he’s in first place, in our book.

So, how do they make it last? "Do what she tells me!" he told iVillage back in 2010. "Trust me, keep your mouth shut." In addition to shutting up, Mr. and Mrs. Washington put their faith in God, and their spirituality to be loving to each other and their children.

Happy birthday to one of the most devoted family men in Hollywood!