Denzel Washington’s Kids Had to ‘Stay Tilted’ After Netflix Horror Filming

Malcolm Washington’s first Netflix film, The Piano Lesson, is “much bigger than just an American story” as another August Wilson story comes to the big screen.

The 33-year-old’s journey to becoming a first-time filmmaker happened almost without him realizing it after he came across playwright Wilson’s work which ‘triggered something in him’ .

The late prolific writer is renowned for his social commentary on the 20th century that elevated him to the status of “Theatre Poet of Black America” ​​by the New York Times upon his death in 2005.

Most notably, his 10-piece collection, titled The Pittsburgh Cycle, remains a cultural classic in documenting the experiences of the African American community during this period – including The Piano Lesson.

He said Metro: “I just needed to come to terms with parts of myself that The Piano Lesson was engaging with.

“It really started more organically, when I was just in this state of ‘I have to deal with these things’ and it eventually turned into working on making the film itself.

“Since he wrote (The Piano Lesson) 35 years ago, (he) was speaking to parts of myself in the present that needed to hear what he was saying.

“So it was rather the power of his words that made me say: “Absolutely”.

And Malcolm is in good company because no one understands him better than the Washington family whose love for the famous playwright was launched on screen by Hollywood patriarch Denzel Washington.

Deeply involved in adapting Wilson’s works, Denzel starred in the Oscar-winning reimagining Fences alongside Viola Davis and produced Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom in 2020. He now serves as executive producer.

“He is such an advocate for August Wilson that I think getting these stories off the ground is a very important part of his legacy,” Malcolm said.

“That commitment and respect he showed for the month of August was the driving force behind all of this.

“(It) protects us as filmmakers and allows us to tell the story that we thought was important, and find a way to get it out to the public so that as many people can see that and interact as much as possible with the material. He was magnificent in that regard.

There is no doubt about the awe and respect with which Malcolm describes Wilson, calling him a “powerful storyteller” and a “prophet in many ways.”

The Piano Lesson – starring John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler and Samuel L. Jackson – follows Charles’ life in Pittsburgh in 1936, whose ancestors are immortalized through sculptures on the family piano.

When Boy Willie (John David) returns to Doaker Charles (Samuel) and his sister Beniece following the death of Sutter, a slave owner who haunts their family legacy, they must reckon with the past.

There is no doubt that the themes resonate deeply with Malcolm and his own relationship with his ancestors. But it is also a story that “resonates” much more widely.

He explained: “It requires you to recognize the decisions and sacrifices of people in your lineage that have allowed you to live your life and in the way that you see fit, with pride.

“So I think ultimately… the story is much bigger than just an American story – I think it’s something that we can all resonate with around the world.

Beyond that, the film also touches on themes of male vulnerability and how a generation of black men have dealt with this inherited trauma.

This is explored further during the scene where Boy Willie, Doaker, Wining Boy (Michael Potts), and Lymon (Ray Fisher) perform the song Berta, Berta.

Malcom remembers it as “such a special evening” shot in “one night” with all the singing performed live as the stars “burned” their voices. He added: “There’s so much emotion in it, and so much pain and jubilation and all that.

“I think a lot of black men of this generation have struggled with not knowing how to deal with their feelings, not knowing how to deal with their feelings and (we watch) it play out in their faces, this struggle.”

The filming process was even more important for John David who reprized the role of Samuel, creator of Boy Willie at the Yale Repertory Theater in 1987.

“To see that, that he agreed with me, that meant a lot to me,” the Tenet star poignantly noted.

At the heart of this story is the strained relationship between a brother and sister. And with a brother on set and a sister (Katia) as producer, Malcolm has no trouble drawing on real-life dynamics to flesh out the dynamics.

“A lot of the dynamic (of Bernice and Boy Willie) is a dynamic that I understood intrinsically through our relationship,” he said.

“There are certain ways a younger sibling can step into an older sibling’s shoes that only you know.”

Danielle brought her own experiences, adding, “I’m number three out of four when it comes to sibling dynamics. I’m in the middle. I know what this life is. I know how the fulcrum and the weights shift and shift.

It was the final scene, where Berniece and Boy Willie face Sutter’s ghost once and for all in a tense and haunting confrontation, that stood out.

“I think we must have been there for at least three days,” she recalls.

“And so when you find yourself in that kind of tension and emotionality, it’s less of a challenge and more of a gift and an honor to sit in those kinds of feelings.”

As The Piano Lesson arrives on Netflix, Malcolm hopes this reinterpretation of Wilson’s esteemed piece can connect with today’s youth – a goal he set for himself early in the process.

“I wanted to make something that I would see for myself and, ultimately, something that would resonate with my own demographic. And I think leaning into gender was a big step forward,” he said.

“Also the music itself, August constantly connects the history of black America, which is a history that spans space and time, and it’s a web of all these other stories.

“We have music from different periods and different parts of the world, but the whole diaspora comes together and weaves this story of black American identity.

“That was our approach, and one that I didn’t expect. But now that the film was finished, I couldn’t see it any other way.”

The Piano Lesson arrives on Netflix today.

Do you have a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Items page – we love hearing from you.

MORE: WWE fans mourn ‘end of an era’ after huge announcement ahead of Netflix move

MORE: Eddie Hearn responds to boxing fans calling Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul ‘scripted’

MORE: Netflix watched 16,000,000 times in 5 days after global top 10 revealed