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Denzel Washington set the record straight regarding the correct pronunciation of his first name.

During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," the 70-year-old actor, born Denzel Hayes Washington Jr., said people have mispronounced his name throughout his life and explained that his mother, Lennis Washington, was responsible for the confusion.

Washington's revelation came as he and Kimmel, 57, discussed the number of professional football players who share the "Fences" star's name.

"Did you know that there are currently four players named Denzel in the NFL?" the talk show host asked Washington before adding, "There weren’t that many before your first Oscar. There were zero in 1987."

"I know. There’s a lot of Denzels now. And this is how you know they named themselves after me,

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