For over 40 years, we’ve all been saying “Denzel” Washington… but turns out, we’ve been getting it wrong this whole time! 😳

In a recent interview, the Oscar-winning actor revealed that his name is actually pronounced “DEN-zəl” — not “Den-ZELL” like most people say.

Even crazier? That’s how his family says it too. Apparently, he was named after his father, Denzel Sr., and to avoid confusion at home, they started pronouncing his name with the emphasis on the first syllable: DEN-zəl.

So technically, we’ve all been mispronouncing a Hollywood legend’s name for decades… and he’s just been letting it slide. 😅