Before you feel "Déjà Vu" all over again, take a look back at the best of Denzel Washington

By David Fear
Special to MSN Movies

When Denzel Washington walked on stage to collect his Best Actor Oscar for "Training Day" in 2002, he spied Sidney Poitier, who was there to collect an honorary award, sitting up in the balcony. "Forty years I've been chasing Sidney and what do they do?" the winner joked. "They go and give it to him on the same night!" The fact is that, while Washington often has been considered the heir to the elder star's legacy thanks to his good looks, his leading-man charisma and — lets face it — his race, Washington most certainly is his own man. Watching his Malcolm X, his "Easy" Rawlins, his Bleek Gilliam, you're not tempted to compare him to anyone. Like all African-American actors, Denzel owes the great Poitier a debt — but at his best, he's a singular talent who's transcended the unfortunate tag of "black actor." Washington simply is a great actor, full stop. In honor of his new film, Tony Scott's action-mystery Déjà Vu," we look back at 10 of his best performances that remind us why, whenever he's on screen, we can't take our eyes off of him.

(Image: Armando Gallo/Retna Ltd.)