John David Washington is opening up about following in the footsteps of his father, Denzel Washington, Hollywood's leading man.
The former athlete, 36, told The Wall Street Journal that he always wanted to mirror his two-time Oscar-winning dad's path.
"I always wanted to do what he did, always wanted to be an artist," John David said. "I jumped in and hid in this football persona, this athlete, literally putting on a helmet to hide my face, hide my identity."
MORE: Denzel Washington reacts to son John David's praise: 'I'm speechless'While attending Morehouse College as a football star, Washington suffered a leg injury in 2013, which prevented him from pursing a professional football career. A year later, he auditioned and landed for a role as NFL wide receiver Ricky Jerret on the HBO series, "Ballers," which he secretly held back from his father.
"I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it," the actor told the outlet. "I'll never forget how he expressed how proud he was of me. That was a great moment for me."
Following 2018's "BlacKkKlansman," John David starred in 2020's "Tenet," which earned over $363 million worldwide, even during the pandemic.
Washington recalled entering a "dramatic" place for his next role in the upcoming film, "Malcolm & Marie," alongside Zendaya.
Shot under strict COVID-19 safety protocols last June, the film follows Washington and Zendaya as a not-so-perfect couple who return home after a movie premiere.
MORE: Director Regina King shares what she hopes audiences take away from new film, 'One Night in Miami...'"I went from the biggest-budget film in my career [Tenet] to the lowest-budget film within a six-month time frame," he said. "I was like, this is survival, but hey, if this is the last thing I get to do, I truly believe in it."
"Malcolm & Marie" premieres on Netflix Feb. 5.
