 One of the biggest film icons in Hollywood, together with magnetic performances and charisma, Denzel Washington is a living legend in the world of entertainment. Whether he's playing a detective, a coach, or a historical figure, Denzel brings his A game every time. He leaves audiences in awe and always leaves him wanting more. Not to mention, this A-lister lives in one of the most coveted areas in Los Angeles. In a beautiful mansion, he's owned for years and will tell you all about it soon. This is Care of the Vampire Slayer and today we'll see how Denzel Washington turned from a schoolboy from a rough neighborhood to one of the wealthiest men in Hollywood. Born in 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York, USA, the son of a pentacostal minister and a beautician, Denzel grew up on the borderline of Westchester and the Bronx. He described his mother as talkative and aggressive and claimed that he might have gotten that from her. His father, on the other hand, was a powerful, big guy, but really a gentle man. Having his parents divorced, Denzel was sent to a private prep school in Oakland Military Academy in New Windsor, which he later described as life changing. He said, That decision changed my life because I wouldn't have survived in the direction I was going, the guys I was hanging out with. At the time, my running buddies have now done maybe 40 years behind in the penitentiary. They were nice guys, but the streets got them. In high school, Denzel played football, baseball, and then basketball in college. Denzel has said he had no idea what he wanted to do in life, so he tried several courses in college, such as core date morphogenesis, political science, then journalism. When Denzel worked at a YMCA camp and did a show for the kids, someone told him to give acting a shot because he had a talent. Mr. Campdenzell transferred and enrolled at the theater department on the day school started back. By finishing his study at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, his love for acting slowly developed, and soon he starred in his first movie, Wilma, in 1977. He also starred in the TV medical dramedy, St. Elsewhere, with William Daniels and Ed Bedley Jr. While working on the TV drama, St. Elsewhere, with the approval of Bruce Paltrow, Denzel had to take three leaves in total from the span of the production set to make room for others' projects. At this time, he starred in his soldier's story, Power and Cry Freedom. He said, I worked with great directors Norman Jewison, Sidney Lumet, and Richard Attenborough, so if it wasn't for him letting me out to do these movies, we wouldn't be sitting here. While behind the charming smiles and appealing presence of the great Denzel Washington is a talented actress, philanthropist and musician. Denzel may have been named People's Sexiest Man Alive in 1986, but he caught Palletta's eye long before then. Denzel was interviewed in Live Kelly and Mark, and he shared that he was cast in Wilma as one of the leading stars, while Palletta was one of the background. The couple met on the set, but didn't speak until months later at a mutual friends party. He said, I met her then, but I didn't meet her then. At that party Denzel talked about going to a play and when the intermission lights came up, Palletta was there, and she just happened to go and see it as well. Palletta also revealed that Denzel actually proposed twice, and she finally gave her sweet yes on the third time he did. When they asked the reason why Palletta turned Denzel down, it was straightforward. She said, because I said no. While the couple tied the knot in 1983, and they celebrated 40 years of marriage by now, you don't get that a lot in Hollywood. After multiple best actor awards and nominees, all of Denzel's hard work paid off big time, and we mean big time. When Denzel's career had a breakthrough, he, Palletta and their children moved to the ultra-exclusive Beverly Park community, home to countless other A-listers like Samuel Jackson, Dwayne The Rock Johnson and Justin Bieber. Going on 2.13 acres and featuring a pool, a tennis court and a fountain, this beautiful home in the Los Angeles area is stocked with 8 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms. While other celebrities treat their mansions as replaceable properties, Denzel, well, he's a devoted homeowner. He's lived in this Beverly Park home for over 20 years. He's added a couple of other impressive houses to his portfolio, but he kept his first mansion as his main residence. The palatial estate has all the luxuries any person would want in a home, which is probably why Denzel never wants to leave. Surrounded by lush foliage and tall trees in all corners, the luxury home keeps the family secure from prying eyes. The gated roundabout driveway is decorated with a fountain centerpiece, the perfect thing to welcome guests. The property has two structures, a large guest house by the pool which can comfortably house a family on its own, and the stunning main mansion that would make anyone drool with envy. Surrounded by nature, the outdoor area is a great place to unwind. There's a hedge garden right across the pool area and beautiful landscaping everywhere you look. A full tennis court by the side of the house is equipped and ready in case Denzel needs a little sports action. While Denzel wasn't quite ready to let go of his mansion, he did add a couple of properties to his real estate portfolio. His most recent purchase is a bit smaller than his Beverly Hills Park mansion. Last year he dropped $10.9 million for a luxury condo in the star-filled building the century, whose roster of residents include famous names like Candy Spelling, Rihanna and Paula Abdul. Washington's unit was purchased from Saudi Arabian royalty, Princess Rima, granddaughter of the late King Faisal. The stunning unit is a double-wide condo renovated to combine two units into a mansion-sized flat. The princess spent more than $8.9 million for the apartments. Later, she splurged a fortune for the modification. The super-sized condo has over 8,000 square feet of living space, with six bedrooms and eight bathrooms. While the unit is situated on the lower floors of the high-rise building, the glass windows still offer beautiful panoramic views of LA. Because of its unique combined layout, it has two living rooms and two dining rooms. There are several seating areas and numerous terraces for outdoor lounging. All of its bedrooms have ensuite full bath. When it comes to amenities, the star-filled building comes complete with resort-worthy features. Condo has 24-7 concierge services, five-star in-house restaurant, business center, a children's play center, a pet spa and a 75-foot swimming pool. Moving to the East Coast, Denzel's apartment building in New York is anything but ordinary. The independent reports that it took about a billion dollars to construct the limestone building and while it might look like another high-rise and a sea of high-rises, it's so high-end, the wealthiest in the Big Apple decided to call this place home. In 2006, for $13 million, Denzel and his family purchased a three-bed, four-bath apartment on Central Park West. At 3,000 square feet, this place is bigger than most people's houses. Hooked inside this 20s-inspired condo, you'll find a private restaurant, health center, showroom, private chefs, interior courtyard, marble columns in the lobby and a lap pool. It's no wonder, then, that among the tenants are big names like Sting, Jeff Gordon and a host of CEOs and business execs with piles of money. With his wife and kids, Denzel Washington enjoys his mansion and homes that he and his wife invested in. After looking at his life and properties, that's going to wrap up today's video. But before you go, answer this question for me. Which celebrity would you most like to be neighbors with? Let me know in the comments and don't forget to like, subscribe and follow me on Instagram to chat. I'm Kara and I'll see you all in another video. Bye! Hey everyone! It's Kara, or Kara the Vampire Slayer, as you might know me and given my love for all things house and home, I recently wanted to get more hands on myself and I started tackling DIY projects at my own house. Being a new homeowner, there are plenty of unexpected things to fix and it's cool to learn what you're doing and hopefully be able to fix it yourself. There are also plenty of DIY projects suitable for beginners like me to do and ones that improve the look of your space drastically. Follow me and I'll teach you what I'm learning and motivate you to join me. You can DIY on a budget even if you're a total beginner. Follow me on FIXIT with Kara and we can chat.