Yahoo Lifestyle How ‘The Piano Lesson’ Helped John David Washington Rediscover His Passion for Acting
John David Washington found himself in a rare situation while promoting his latest film, Netflix’s “The Piano Lesson.” It was his first real press tour in a while, since the rollout for his previous few films (including Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” and Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator”) were impacted by the COVID pandemic, then the dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
“It was a relief to be able to do it like you’re supposed to, as far as getting with the people, right after they see it in the theater, and talking,” Washington says. And after one screening in Paris, his parents — actors Denzel and Pauletta Washington — joined him onstage for the Q&A. “I never thought that I’d be on the same stage with my old man talking about a film that we’re a part of — not in my wildest dreams.”
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But, if it was going to happen, this moment was apt since “The Piano Lesson” is effectively a family project.
Nearly a decade ago, Denzel Washington and his producing partner Todd Black began adapting playwright August Wilson’s American Century Cycle — a 10-play chronicle of the Black experience through the 20th century — into films. “The Piano Lesson,” about a family at odds over an heirloom, is the third feature, following 2016’s “Fences” and 2020’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” John David, 40, stars in the movie directed by his younger brother Malcolm, 33, and executive produced by their sister Katia, 38 — plus their sister Olivia, 33, and mother make cameos.
“As I’m hearing my dad talk about the film, I’m like, ‘Yeah, we did that,’” John David says proudly. “He trusted his kids with this precious text. It’s very important to all of us that we honor August Wilson with the best intentions, but we’ve got to execute, too. Hearing him feel the way he does about the film, it was very emotional.”
The experience was profound because it took John David a beat to get comfortable with his famous family name in a professional capacity. Sure, Washington is a common surname, but there’s only so many “Washingtons” who are the progeny of a two-time Oscar winner who is considered to be one of the greatest actors of all time. So, when John David broke onto the Hollywood scene on the HBO series “Ballers” in 2015, he didn’t talk to much about his lineage.
“I was trying to build a career,” he says, reflecting on those early days. “When ‘Ballers’ came out, I didn’t tell anybody, and it wasn’t known. I didn’t have an Instagram account or anything. I just wanted people to see it and like the guy, [but] they don’t know who they’re liking.” The positive reaction to that performance, plus his star turn in Spike Lee’s “Blackkklansman” (he’s wearing a “Do the Right Thing” t-shirt as we Zoom) helped him gain confidence in his own talent and the opportunities he’d attract. But “The Piano Lesson” was a different circumstance. “I knew that I was going to need my family for something this important,” he says.
John David’s journey with “The Piano Lesson” began with the 2022 Broadway revival, where he landed the role of Boy Willie, who instigates a squabble with his sister Berniece over the family heirloom piano. He wants to sell it to buy the land their ancestors toiled over as slaves, while she wants to keep it, as the last vestige of their legacy. Then, while John David prepped for the Broadway run, his brother Malcolm, who’s an alum of the AFI conservatory, started developing the film adaptation.
The Netflix film — which also stars Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Potts, Ray Fisher and Corey Hawkins —premiered at Telluride and traveled the fall festival circuit before its theatrical, then streaming launch. And it’s not just the Washingtons’ parents praising the finished product — “The Piano Lesson” has been a critical hit too, with all the major players receiving kudos from organizations like the Gothams, the Critics Choice Assn., the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) and the Black Reel Awards.
Read on as John David discusses how playing Boy Willie differed between the stage and the Netflix film, his mom’s influence on his process and sharing the screen with his dad someday.
Malcolm dedicated this movie to your mother. What did you learn about acting from her?
She always talks about how you’ve got to tell the truth. She can always tell if I was thinking or if I was not being honest in the moment. It’s a great privilege to be able to do what we do, and we do the work and everything that’s required, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to be honest up there. She hates when people are not in the moment. All the prep work and stuff that’s required, that’s in there, but you can’t hold on to that too tight. You’ve got to trust it.
When was the last time you prepped for a role with your mom?
It was for this — we were running lines for the play. She helped me out a lot. And the next thing I’ll do, I will be running lines with her, guaranteed.
But it’s funny, I was running lines with her and she was criticizing me. I was like, “Mom, I haven’t made any active choices; I don’t even know who this guy is yet. I’m just trying to get off book.” She’s like, “Yeah, well, that ain’t it, boy. You’ve got to get it together.” I love that. She’s very tough in that way.
Who is Boy Willie to you?
Boy Willie helped me find the kind of artist that I know I can be. He’s helped me in my life, to be honest — he’s helped give me perspective on what faith is and how it can’t be shaken. To never leave God. If you just open up and let it happen, you’re good enough to receive the answers to play any character that you ever take on.
What were you wrestling with before this character came into your life?
Insecurity. Doubt. I lost my faith in 2004, and I told myself — [when] a year after that, I ended up going to the NFL — I’ll never leave you again, no matter how bad it gets.
Then, when I was shooting “The Creator,” that character, Joshua, was going through a lot. I was in Indonesia, toward the end of filming, walking around these active volcanoes and running Boy Willie’s lines. I was thinking about the parallels [between the characters] in how they’ve lost their faith and thinking about my life back in 2004. I realized that was part of the reason why it’s so important to do this play, because this is what it’s going to help me with.
What was different about the way Malcolm translated Boy Willie for the film?
There were different responsibilities playing this on-screen, but I really got to understand Boy Willie’s function in this movie, when I saw the movie. Malcolm has said the story about fathers and sons, but it’s really about mother and daughter, and the film captures that so well. There’s different shots when we’re hearing these men talk at Berniece, but the camera, and we the audience, are looking at her reaction. The camera’s looking at her while we’re hearing August Wilson’s beautiful words, but these dudes just talk at her — and Malcolm captures Danielle like Spike captures Denzel, there was a simpatico that was happening.
In the play, Boy Willie is just talking all the time — but in this, it’s more like, “Are you not seeing your sister?” There was a sensitivity to that, that was more present in the film than it was in the play. We see Black women have to be strong all the time, but what does that actually mean? They also have their sexual desires. They also have their financial aspirations. All of that is depicted accurately, not just with the brilliant performance that Danielle’s giving, but what the film is capturing of her, as well. The films builds to the idea that, “If y’all can just find a way to get along, you can take over everything.”
What was it like approaching this character again? How did your preparation for the movie differ?
Less lines! [Laughs.] One could be like, “Oh, you’re cutting my lines,” but it was a little bit of a relief. He talks the whole play. [For the film,] I got to focus on behavior and the interiority of August Wilson’s words and characterization of these scenarios.
Knowing that we’re on this set gave me different life. Being in that house — it was alive. It didn’t feel like a stage. We were really in the home. I got to pick up dirt. We got to play Mississippi out in the outskirts of Georgia. We got to be in Pittsburgh selling watermelons to white folks. We got to do that the juke joint, seeing Erykah Badu perform. The tangibility of what we’re talking about really informed a lot of the decisions made as the character.
Tell me about working with Samuel L. Jackson, both on Broadway and in the film. He originated Boy Willie in the Yale Repertory production in 1987. Was there anything you wanted to ask him about that experience?
I learned so much from him and Mr. Michael Potts — our Wilsonians. I respect them both so much, but I was so nervous with Mr. Jackson because of his relationship to the role. I got even more nervous when we did our first interview together, talking about the play. He talked about how this play affected his life: he originated the role, then they bring to Broadway and he had to be the understudy for Charles Dutton, and he fell off and relapsed, and how painful that was for him. I couldn’t believe he jumped out and said that story; I’ve known him my whole life and never knew that story.
I started to realize how life can imitate art and how you can learn from these characters you’re playing. It’s no different for a legend like him. He still learns. He still enjoys it and he’s accomplished so much. If you lose your joy for it, then you should probably stop. It didn’t seem like this was a business move for him — this was a little art film for him, because he does the big joints. But he cares so much. My father, too. All the OG’s that were involved knew how important this was.
“The Piano Lesson” launched on Netflix the same day “Gladiator II” hit theaters. Have you and your dad ever had a movie come out the same day before?
I don’t know about the same day, but the same month — “Blackkklansman” and “The Equalizer 2.” I remember, I was taking the subway, and I saw my poster and his poster next to each other and I had to take a picture of it. I was pumped about that.
How do we get you on screen together?
I don’t know! He’s talking about the films he’s about to be a part of. It might not be till another five, six years, because he’s booked and busy out here. But, if the opportunity comes along, I would love that.
He’s enjoying this, which is great to see. He’s an example of loving what you do, even when you have everything. Mr. Nolan was like that. Spike Lee was like that. Sam was like that. They still love it, and they’ve done it all. It’s pretty cool to see that.
Now that you have also recaptured that joy a bit with these last few roles, what is the next big dream?
I would like to work with filmmakers I admire — like Jordan Peele, Paul Thomas Anderson, Michael Mann, Martin Scorsese and Denis Villeneuve — there’s so many, it’s a huge list. And I’m going to go back on stage; I’m just trying to find the right thing. It’s almost like I have to keep rediscovering or reminding myself who I am as an artist, so I’m looking for material that’s a good reminder of what we’re doing it for.
Who are you as an artist?
A truth-teller. A God-fearing, spiritual creature.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
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