Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington are reprising their roles from stage in the new movie The Piano Lesson , based on August Wilson’s play of the same name. After a successful Broadway run in 2022, it became clear that The Piano Lesson was a story that needed to be shared with a broader audience.
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This, nor the 2022 revival of The Piano Lesson are Samuel’s first time working with August Wilson’s legacy. He got to work with the man himself on the original production of The Piano Lesson in 1990 when he originated the role of Boy Willie. August Wilson was a famous playwright known for his works such as Fences and Gem of the Ocean.
Though he passed away in 2005, his works are still being produced and put on around the world. Wilson wrote what he knew, most of it taking place during the 20th century and centering on African-American characters. Each of his plays are set in a different decade and have since become known as the American Century Cycle.
The Piano Lesson follows the Charles family as they struggle and fight over what to do with their family’s heirloom, a piano with the faces of their ancestors carved into it. Boy Willie wishes to sell the piano to build their families fortune, whereas his sister, played by Danielle Deadwyler , is willing to do anything to keep it. The film dives into themes of intergenerational family dynamics, identity, and much more.
“I honor the spirit of August Wilson and the legacy he left behind f.