Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Corey Hawkins & More Set For Netflix’s The Piano Lesson; Malcolm Washington Directing; Denzel Washington, Todd Black Producing
Deadline reports that John David Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Deadwyler, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, and Corey Hawkins are set to star in The Piano Lesson — a Netflix film adaptation of August Wilson’s classic play, which will mark the feature directorial and screenwriting debut of his brother, Malcolm Washington.
Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of the Great Depression, The Piano Lesson follows the lives of the Charles family in the Doaker Charles household and an heirloom, the family piano, which is decorated with designs carved by an enslaved ancestor.
Virgil Williams (Mudbound) and Washington adapted the screenplay for the film, to be exec produced by Constanza Romero, Jennifer Roth and Katia Washington, which will mark the latest in a series of stage-to-screen adaptations of Wilson’s plays from producers Denzel Washington and Todd Black.
The Piano Lesson is notably part of Wilson’s famed 10-play “American Century Cycle,” also including Fences and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom — titles that Oscar winner Washington and Oscar nom Black have shepherded to the screen for Paramount and Netflix, respectively.
Washington directed and starred opposite Viola Davis in 2016’s Fences, after teaming with the actress on a 2010 Broadway revival of the same title, which brought them both Tonys. The film itself landed Academy Award noms for Best Picture, Actor and Adapted Screenplay, as Davis nabbed her first statuette in the category of Supporting Actress.
George C. Wolfe helmed 2011’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which landed Oscar noms for the late Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis, won Oscars for Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Costume Design from a total of five noms.
Jackson, Washington, Fisher and Potts come to The Piano Lesson movie after wrapping up their run in a Broadway revival of the play at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.