An incredible assemblage of Black talent is coming together for The Piano Lesson, Netflix’s adaptation of August Wilson’s play. With Malcolm Washington set to direct and co-write the film with Virgil Williams, and his father Denzel producing, the cast will be led by Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though. Also in the cast are Till star Danielle Deadwyler, Straight Outta Compton‘s Corey Hawkins, plus Ray Fisher (Justice League), and Michael Potts (BlackKklansman).
Here’s a synopsis:
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.
Denzel Washington directed and starred in another August Wilson adaptation, Fences, earning accolades in 2016 as a result. Denzel and co-star Viola Davis had previously been starring in a Tony Award-winning stage revival. The same goes for Jackson and John David Washington, whose Broadway play of The Piano Lesson is the most successful Wilson revival ever. [Deadline]
