The University of Pennsylvania has granted A-list actor, Denzel Washington an honorary degree saying the actor has continued to serve as a great influence and an inspiration for his works in the entertainment industry.

Penn President Amy Gutmann said that the Malcolm X actor is also being recognized for the social responsibilities that he has proven himself with the charitable works he has undertaken.

A report by the Associated Press quoted the university official praising Washington’s work which she described as ones that have ‘entertained us, inspired us and often enlightened us’.

In a ceremony at the Franklin Field, Washington delivered a speech which the actor did with a combined wit, humor and a ‘sobering truth’.

His speech began explaining why he decided to accept the invitation from the university.

“I had to come exactly because I might make a fool of myself,” the actor said, according to AP. “I’ve found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. Nothing.”

With 5,000 graduating students all ears to what he had to say, the ‘Philadelphia’ star was firm as he discussed what they have to expect after school as he reminded everyone that: Failure is inevitable. Yet instead of having something to fall back on, he said, graduates should "fall forward" — learn from their mistakes and keep going.

To prove his point, the actor gave the countless failures of Thomas Edison before successfully invented the light bulb.

“Do you have the guts to fail?” Washington said. If you don’t fail, you’re not even trying”.

"The Training Day" actor also did not have to go so far as to enumerating experiences of other prominent individuals and decided to look not very far as he shared his own failures.

The AP noted Washington’s own story as he recounted what he called as failures from being a pre-med student at New York’s Fordham University to shifting gears to pre-law and journalism before ending up in drama, which he completed and getting out from with a degree.

More failures were shared by the actor to prove his point but the second wave of disappointments came in as a professional actor.

The actor’s message has been well-received by his audience.

"No one ever tells a graduating class, `You're going to fail.' But it was very important for everyone to hear that," the AP noted 21-year-old newly graduate Adam Shore. "You can't go ... thinking you're going to succeed in every way. You have to be realistic."

His talks also included more experiences in Hollywood and a reference to his son who was in his second year in college in U-Penn.

With an honorary Penn degree, Washington now joins other artists and prominent individuals who have proven themselves in their chosen crafts including Joyce Carol Oates (author); Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (husband-and-wife journalists); Mo Ibrahim (entrepreneur); Ei-ichi Negishi (Nobel laureate) and Renee C. Fox, a sociology scholar.

Want to be inspired by Denzel? Click the video to watch and share to your friends the speech Washington delivered at the University of Pennsylvania's 255th Commencement Exercises Monday, May 16, 2011.

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