On this day in 1954, the stars aligned to give us an embarrassment of riches in the form of a legendary broadcaster and an Oscar-winning actor.
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That’s right, TV icon Gayle King (CBS This Morning) and acting legend Denzel Washington, who snagged a Best Actor Oscar for Training Day, both turn 71.
Despite being in their 70s, both King and Washington had a major year as 2025 draws to a close.
For one thing, King literally left the planet. OK, not for long—but back in April, she joined an eclectic group of “artstronauts” including pop star Katy Perry and Jeff Bezos’ then-fiancée Lauren Sanchez. The trio, along with NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, took a brief jaunt into space via Blue Origin.
The 11-minute flight passed the Kármán line, the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and space.
King also pushed back against the largely negative reactions to her journey into space.
“There was nothing frivolous about what we do,” she said on CBS Mornings shortly after her voyage. “So, you know, I’m very disappointed and very saddened by it [the criticism]. And I also say this — what it’s doing to inspire other women and young girls? Please don’t ignore that.”
“I’ve had so many women and young girls reach out to me, and men too, by the way. Men too that say, ‘Wow, I never thought I could do that, but I see you doing it at this stage of your life,’” she insisted.
Meanwhile, Variety recently reported that the veteran broadcaster, who has been the face of CBS Mornings for over ten years, is expected to depart as an anchor when her contract expires next May.
Gayle King’s 1954 Birthday Twin Denzel Washington Didn’t Shoot into the Stars, But He Starred on Broadway…
Sure, 1954 birthday twin Denzel Washington didn’t blast off to space like Gayle King. However, he still had a stellar year here on Earth.
On the big screen, Washington reunited with Spike Lee for the crime thriller Highest 2 Lowest. It’s a remake of Kurosawa’s High and Low, portraying a music mogul caught in a ransom plot. It dropped on Apple TV+ in September.
He also returned to Broadway in a revival of Shakespeare’s Othello, co-starring with Jake Gyllenhaal.
While the production broke even financially, it was snubbed by the Tony Awards.
While King reached for the stars, Washington brought them down to Earth. Here’s to another trip around the sun for two celestial talents…