How to Pronounce Denzel Washington: The Actor Tells Jimmy Kimmel

There’s only one Denzel Washington. Actually, there’s only one Den-ZELL Washington.

The two-time Academy Award-winning actor has revealed that people do not properly pronounce his first name, while also explaining the right way to say it .

The revelation came after Jimmy Kimmel told him there are multiple players in the NFL named Denzel when Washington appeared Sept. 2 on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” That led the “Training Day” star to explain he knows the players are named in his honor because of how Denzel is pronounced.

“And this is how you know they named themselves after me, because my name’s not pronounced ‘Den-ZELL,’” Washington said. “My name’s pronounced ‘Den-ZULL.’

“I’m Den-ZULL Jr. My father’s Den-ZULL Hayes Washington Sr. I’m Den-ZULL Hayes Washington Jr.”

How to Pronounce Denze