Isaiah Washington

Isaiah Washington IV was born on August 3, 1963, in Houston, Texas. His early life included a period in the United States Air Force at age 19, serving at Clark Air Base in the Philippines and Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, before attending Howard University. He made his feature film debut in “Strictly Business” in 1991, quickly establishing himself through collaborations with director Spike Lee, appearing in films such as “Crooklyn” (1994), “Clockers” (1995), “Girl 6” (1996), and “Get on the Bus” (1996).

Washington gained widespread recognition for his role as Dr. Preston Burke, a cardiothoracic surgeon, in the ABC medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” which he originated in 2005. His portrayal earned him two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Although initially auditioning for the role of Derek Shepherd, his performance as Burke was widely acclaimed. He returned to “Grey’s Anatomy” for a guest appearance in 2014 as part of a farewell storyline for Sandra Oh’s character.

Beyond “Grey’s Anatomy,” Washington has maintained a consistent career in both film and television. From 2014 to 2018, he played Chancellor Jaha in The CW’s science fiction series “The 100.” He also took on the challenging role of John Allen Muhammad in the 2013 film “Blue Caprice,” inspired by the D.C. sniper attacks. In 2020, Washington expanded his career into hosting with “Isaiah Washington: Kitchen Talk” on Fox Nation, and made his directorial debut in 2022 with the Western film “Corsicana,” which he also co-wrote and starred in, playing Bass Reeves. Washington has also been involved in philanthropic efforts, particularly in Sierra Leone, where a genealogical DNA test traced his ancestry.