"He created the role first": When John David Washington praised Samuel L. Jackson's OG broadway version of The Piano Lesson

John David Washington collaborated with Samuel L. Jackson for the 2024 horror drama flick The Piano Lesson. The film was based on the namesake play from 1987, where Jackson played Boy Willie in Yale Repertory Theatre.

Jackson also went on to portray Doaker Charles in the play's 2022 Broadway revival version. The film was helmed by Malcolm Washington, and it was released on November 8, 2024, before its Netflix debut on November 22nd.

During its promotion, Washington appeared on a talk show where he spoke about how he had known Jackson since his childhood and how the latter created the role from The Piano Lesson.

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Samuel L. Jackson was also part of the original The Piano Lesson

John David Washington appeared on Jimmy Kimmel's talk show in November 2024 to promote his horror drama film The Piano Lesson. During the conversation, Washington showered praises on his co-star Samuel L. Jackson, who was a part of the original namesake play that came out in 1987.

At one point, Kimmel asked Washington if Jackson is less intimidating when he has known the actor for a long time. In response, Washington said that Jackson is less intimidating when he likes the grill by the Tenet actor. Washington also stated that the role he has played in The Piano Lesson was originally played by Jackson in the 80s.

"[Jackson]'s less intimidating when I've grilled for him and liked my food so that I have and that was great but then it got really intimidating because the role I'm playing he originated in 1987."

Washington further added,

"Yeah he originated the role of Lloyd Richards and the great August Wilson at Yale. So he created the role first so here I am doing the role he created."

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More about The Piano Lesson

The Piano Lesson is directed by Malcolm Washington, who has also written it with Virgil Williams. Denzel Washington and Todd Black are the producers.

The official synopsis of this horror drama reads as follows:

Follows the lives of the Charles family as they deal with themes of family legacy and more, in deciding what to do with an heirloom, the family piano.

The Piano Lesson had its world premiere at the 51st Telluride Film Festival, and it was released theatrically on November 8, 2024. On Netflix, the film started premiering on November 22. The cast members of the film include

• Samuel L. Jackson as Doaker
• John David Washington as Boy Willie
• Danielle Deadwyler as Berniece
• Ray Fisher as Lymon
• Corey Hawkins as Avery
• Michael Potts as Wining Boy
• Skylar Aleece Smith as Maretha
• Stephan James as Boy Charles

Both Malcolm and John David are brothers and are sons of actor Denzel Washington. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Malcolm was asked if he had to pitch the film to his brother to convince him. He said,

Absolutely. Our relationship of Little Brother and Big Brother was wonderful, but this was us starting a new creative relationship. If you value and respect the work you’re going to do, you have to treat it seriously. We wanted to make sure we were on the same page and to reintroduce ourselves to each other as actor and director. And that ultimately unlocked different parts of our relationship as siblings.

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