Meet Olivia Washington, Denzel Washington’s daughter and star of Slave Play: she’s treading the boards in Jeremy O. Harris’ controversial theatre show in London, and has a twin

Aug 9 , 2024

Who is Olivia Washington, star of Jeremy O. Harris’ controversial play and Denzel Washington’s youngest daughter? Photos: Instagram

Olivia Washington is one of four children born to Training Day star Denzel Washington and his actress-singer wife Pauletta, and has an equally talented twin brother named Malcolm

The up-and-coming actress played a superhuman in I’m a Virgo, and has hit back against criticism of her latest project Slave Play, including comments from Britain’s former prime minister Rishi Sunak

Olivia Washington – daughter of Hollywood actor Denzel Washington – has said in past interviews that she was a shy child. But if there’s any modicum of wallflower left in her, she’s definitely making the wrong career choices.

Not only was her 2023 show – an absurdist comedy called I’m a Virgo that saw her acting mostly with a puppet – the talk of the town, but her new theatre work Slave Play is causing no end of controversy.

Olivia Washington on stage with her Slave Play co-star Kit Harington. Photo: @theatermania/Instagram

Written by Jeremy O. Harris – who some will recognise as petulant fashion designer Grégory Duprée from Emily in Paris – Slave Play is centred on three interracial couples and their ideas of race, sexuality and identity. It garnered a record number of Tony nominations after its initial Broadway run, and has just opened in London.

When the UK organisers declared that two nights of the 12-week run would be “Black Out” nights for Black theatregoers, even the country’s former prime minister Rishi Sunak weighed in, calling the idea “concerning” and “divisive”.

Actor and playwright Jeremy O. Harris wrote Slave Play and will reappear in the upcoming season of Emily in Paris. Photo: @estreetprods/Instagram

“I think … creating an environment where people feel welcome is important,” Washington hit back while speaking to Vogue. She’s standing her ground on the play’s highly provocative subject nature too. “Isn’t that what art is supposed to do?” she told the Sunday Times. “It’s supposed to challenge the norm. It’s not supposed to necessarily make you comfortable.”

So aside from her passion for tricky projects, what else do you need to know about Olivia Washington?

Olivia Washington is a twin

Denzel and Pauletta Washington with their four children: Olivia, Katia, Malcolm and John David. Photo: @afrocentricfilmscollabor/Instagram

Olivia Washington was born alongside her twin brother Malcolm in 1991 to Training Day actor Denzel Washington and singer and actress Pauletta Washington. The twins are the youngest of the Washingtons’ four children, who include 40-year-old Blackkklansman actor John David, and 37-year-old producer Katia. A talented basketball player, Malcolm went on to study film before getting into producing and directing like his father, per People magazine.