FANS have been desperately trying to find out what happened to the beloved star Denzel Washington after rumours spread that he had died.

However, he is in fact alive and well and is the latest celebrity in a long line to be targeted by death hoaxes.

Denzel Washington is the latest celeb to be caught up in a death hoaxCredit: Getty

Who is Denzel Washington?

Denzel Washington is an American actor and film producer with a glittering four decade career.

He was born in 1954 and is married to actress Pauletta Washington with whom he shares four children.

His career began on stage before his first screen appearance in the 1977 film Wilma which was a docudrama about sprinter Wilma Rudolph.

He is worth an eye watering $280million and examples of his best work are the films “Glory” (1989), “Malcolm X” (1992), “Training Day” (2001) and “Fences” (2016).

The star has received numerous awards including a Tony Award, two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and two Silver Bears.

Why is ‘Denzel Washington dead’ trending?

The search “Why is Denzel Washington dead” is trending because of a Facebook post that seemingly announced his death gained nearly one million likes.

The announcement read: “At about 11 a.m. ET on Saturday (November 25, 2023), our beloved actor Denzel Washington passed away. Denzel Washington was born on December 28, 1954 in Mount Vernon.

“He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”

Tributes from heartbroken fans began to pour out expressing their sadness.

Although some fans believed the post others were more sceptical due to many similar and fake claims being made recently.

Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major American network, indicating that it was a fake report.

On November 26 the actor’s reps reportedly confirmed the hoax.

They said: “He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimised by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.”

Some fans were left fuming following the fake news as they found it hurtful and distressing.

Others believe the uproar over the hoax simply shows the star’s extreme popularity.

This is not the only time a similar rumour about Denzel has panicked the internet.

In 2011 word spread like wild fire that he had been killed in a snowboarding accident in Switzerland.

And in 2017 there were fake reports that the actor had died after being caught up in a drive by shooting.