An attractive character actor who often played heavies due to his commanding presence, Washington spent two decades building up an impressive resume before a TV role turned him into a small-screen sex symbol. After a stint in the Air Force, the handsome player studied acting at Howard University and honed his skills in regional theater. By the early '90s he was working steadily on both the big and small screens, notably in a string of Spike Lee movies. Although he had done guest spots on myriad series, Grey's Anatomy marked his first time as a regular cast member and he immediately struck a chord as a sensitive, overachieving surgeon. Unfortunately, rumors of his ugly temper threatened to undermine his career. In October 2006, he and Grey's Anatomy costar Patrick Dempsey reportedly had a scuffle after Washington made a homophobic remark about a fellow cast member. A few days later, costar T.R. Knight came out of the closet. After the incident seemed to fade away, Washington stirred up bad blood again in January 2007 when he claimed that he never called Knight "a f-gg-t" during a post-Golden Globes press conference. (He later retracted his denial.) Although Grey's had won an award for best drama that evening, it sounded like the real drama was playing out behind the scenes. Subsequently Washington checked into rehab to deal with his issues and filmed a public service announcement denouncing homophobia but the damage had been done: At the end of the hit show's third season, he was informed that his Grey's contract would not be renewed.