Denzel Washington Brings Light to the Importance of Family and Generational Ties in Upcoming Netflix Film “The Piano Lesson,” Led by the Washington Family
Denzel Washington has always been a man who values family above all else, and the city of San Antonio witnessed it back in 2005 when the actor traveled to the Brooke Army Medical Base, and gave a generous donation to the Fisher House Foundation, which seeks to help the families of hospitalized military personnel. This year, Washington is once again demonstrating his commitment to family, though in a very different way, by coming to the professional support of his own family in the soon-to-be-released Netflix film exploring the importance of generational legacy, “The Piano Lesson.”
From Broadway to The Big Screen
Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play of the same name by August Wilson, “The Piano Lesson” follows the story of a family in Pittsburgh in 1936 as they grapple with the aftermath of the Great Depression and as they are divided over whether to keep or sell their most prized heirloom – a grand piano decorated with a display of carvings tracing their family’s lineage.
The first on-stage production of “The Piano Lesson” was in 1987, and notably featured Samuel L. Jackson as the character of ‘Boy Willie,’ and in a full-circle moment the play was brought to Broadway for a revival in 2022 where Jackson returned as Boy Willie’s uncle, Doaker Charles. The 2022 play featured Denzel’s son, John David Washington, in the role of Boy Willie, and both Jackson and John David reprise their on-stage roles in the upcoming film, which is directed by Denzel’s other son, Malcolm, and executive produced by his daughter, Katia. Washington’s wife, Pauletta, and their other daughter, Olivia, have also been cast in the film, and though Denzel won’t appear on-screen, he is one of the film’s producers and has been an enthusiastic supporter of his family’s involvement in “The Piano Lesson.”
August Wilson’s Legacy on Screen: The American Century Cycle and Its Film Adaptations
August Wilson is best known for his series of 10 plays called the “American Century Cycle,” which includes “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” – another play that inspired a Netflix-adaptation back in 2020 starring Viola Davis, Colman Domingo and the late Chadwick Boseman, and was co-produced by Denzel Washington. Another popular film based on one of Wilson’s plays is “Fences,” released in 2016 starring Denzel and Viola Davis, with Washington directing. Washington has been a longtime fan of Wilson’s work, and has said that he hopes to produce all 10 of the “Century Cycle” plays for the big screen.
In a press statement for “The Piano Lesson,” Washington praised the film as being “much bigger than me and my family – it, like the Black American experience, is an interconnected web of stories that span space and time. I hope that when audiences experience our film, they see themselves on the screen and hear the voices of their ancestors calling to them, offering peace and protection.”
“The Piano Lesson” hits select theaters on November 8th, followed by a straight-to-Netflix release on November 22nd.
