John David Washington Wants You To Put Some Respect On Pauletta Washington's Name

Her husband may be the bigger star, but you’re gonna put some respect on Pauletta Washington‘s name, especially around her son.

BlacKkKlansman star John David Washington recently sat down with TODAY’s Craig Melvin to discuss the film, which has received tons of praise from critics and fans.

But during the interview, Washington set Melvin straight after the host asked about his famous father’s influence on his acting career. While he loves his dad, Washington let Melvin know that when his parents first met, his mother was already a star.

“She was on Broadway working. She paid for the first date, she paid the bill, paid for the cab ride,” the young actor explained.

“[She is] a classically trained pianist who went to Julliard. She’s a great artist in her own right and I learned a lot from her,” he added.

While Denzel Washington’s film credits are well-known, his wife, Pauletta, has been featured in several projects as well. She appeared as Miss Ella Chisholm in Spike Lee’s Netflix series, She’s Gotta Have It, as well as Terri Angelou in The Parkers. She also performed “It’s In Your Eyes” for the Philadelphia soundtrack.

Acting prowess aside, Pauletta may be the most powerful Washington in the family. Denzel recently joked that the secret to their 35-year marriage is listening to his wife.

“I do what I’m told. I keep my mouth shut,” he told PEOPLE .

He added that what he appreciates most about his wife is that she’s turned their house into a home.

“The difference between a house and a home, it’s a big difference,” the elder Washington explained. “You can buy a house, but that doesn’t make it a home – and not to say a man can’t make a home a home, but my wife has made our house a home, and raised these beautiful kids and protected them and sacrificed for them. She did the heavy-lifting.”

Yes, she did.