Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta Washington. Picture: Instagram

Denzel Washington's "biggest lifetime achievement" is his wife.

The 'Training Day' star - who has children John David, 34, Katia, 32, and 28-year-old twins Olivia and Malcolm with spouse Pauletta - was honoured at the AFI Life Achievement Award gala on Thursday, June 7, but admitted he regards his best accomplishments as one achieved away from his career.

Asked ahead of the event, which took place at Hollywood's Dolby Theater, what he considered his biggest lifetime achievement, he turned to his wife and smiled as she said: "His four children".

He replied: "[Actually] I was pointing to her. That's my biggest lifetime achievement."

The 64-year-old actor admitted he felt "humbled" to have been chosen by the American Film Institute for the honour but felt very "relaxed" to be attending an event in his honour as there was no pressure on him.

He told 'Entertainment Tonight': "I'm humbled, I'm grateful, I'm thankful... I've never done this before so I can't really tell you how I feel.

"It doesn't feel like other times I'm on the red carpet. I'm usually promoting a film or at an award show. [Here] I've already won, I guess, so it's different. It's relaxed."

Despite his decades of success, the 'Fences' star admitted he "never thought" about a career in acting when he was younger until it was suggested when he was at university.

He told Variety: "I kind of backed into it. I never thought about acting, I didn't know anything about it. But I fell in love with it. Ignorance is bliss.

"Someone said, 'Hey, you ever thought about being on stage? You seem like a natural.' That fall, I did a musical. I found out I couldn't sing, but I was off to the races."

Bang Showbiz