1. To start, John David Washington is actually the oldest son of fellow actors Denzel and Pauletta Washington.
2. He's a Los Angeles native and grew up in SoCal with his three siblings.
3. His first onscreen role was alongside his father in the 1992 biopic Malcolm X. He was only 9 at the time.
4. When John David decided to get back to acting full-time and started auditioning for roles, he kept it secret from his family until he ended up getting cast in Ballers.
Speaking of, John David had a recurring role as Ricky Jerret on HBO's Ballers from 2015 to 2019.
5. He once admitted that the first time he saw himself on TV, he fainted.
6. Some of the actor's other notable films include Christopher Nolan's Tenet...
...Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman...
...and most recently, Netflix's Malcolm & Marie.
7. John David doesn't just having acting credits under his belt, he also has served as coproducer on The Book of Eli and Malcolm & Marie.
8. He initially started playing football at the end of elementary school.
9. He goes by JD when he's with his friends.
10. He attended Morehouse College on a football scholarship and graduated in 2006.
12. In 2006, John David was an undrafted free agent and joined the St. Louis Rams practice squad and stayed with the team for two seasons.
13. Outside of his NFL stint, John David also played for the UFL's Sacramento Mountain Lions.
14. The actor kept his love for football going and eventually played overseas for Düsseldorf's Rhein Fire. The international league was in association with NFL Europa.
15. John David's football career was cut short when he tore his Achilles tendon in 2013.
16. He's been honored with numerous award nominations over the years, including the 2019 Golden Globes for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for his role in BlacKkKlansman.
17. His favorite films of all time include Dances With Wolves, Raging Bull, Man On Fire, Coming to America, and Glory.
18. Finally, he considers his parents a huge source of inspiration.
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