I am meeting a man who comes from a Hollywood dynasty of sorts.
As he grew older, his interest shifted to something a bit more physical.
Now he is starring in August WilsonsThe Piano LessononBroadway.
John David Washington and Samuel L. Jackson in The Piano Lesson.Photo by Julieta Cervantes
The piano used to belong to the Sutter family, who once enslaved Bernieces and Boy Willies ancestors.
The Sutters traded the Charles siblings great-grandmother Mama Berniece and grandfather Papa Boy Charles for the piano.
When Boy Willie returns from a long absence away from him he plans to sell the piano.
Now, in the car ride, I reminisced about the play.
I discovered they had John David tucked in a corner out of sight from the public.
He was wearing a Moorehouse sweatshirt and offered me a warm smile as we shook hands and sat down.
Hes observant, considerate, gracious and easy to talk to.
DEADLINE: When did you first learn about August Wilson and his works?
WASHINGTON:Not until my late twenties.
I got to seeFenceson the stage, and that was the first time I saw an August Wilson play.
Then I saw LaTanya Jackson doTwo Trains Runningin Atlanta years later.
It was around that time, when I first knew of him.
His works resonated with me because the words sounded so familiarlike talking to family members in North Carolina.
Theres this healthy combination that really expresses an elevated narrative of the African American experience.
DEADLINE: One thing that I love about his plays is that they are not preachy.
Wilson knows even the smallest details of Black life, which speaks to your previous point about familiarity.
The joy of being around family, as complicated as it is, but I relate to that.
WASHINGTON:Its almost like Im proving something to myself.
I love that dynamic.
Danielle, master at her craft, and Ray, and Michael are so talented.
This is held together by LaTanya Jacksons direction, so I couldnt pass this up.
She also wanted the audience to have a lived-in-experience by bringing them into the Charles household.
There is a rhythm to theater.
Jackson would have us do acting and vocal drills to help animate each performance.
They all gave me a hard time throughout the rehearsals because I was a newbie and I loved it.
That toughness is a language I understand, especially having a football background.
You have to be tough to get on stage.
Youve got to be ready.
DEADLINE: Watching the play, I noticed your character Boy Willie has a lot of wordy monologues.
I wondered what your process was for internalizing bulks of dialogue?
Just going through it, drilling it.
Having a sports background, I go by this motto of, Amateurs practice until they get it right.
Professionals practice until they cant get it wrong.
We had a very strong leader in LaTanya, and she demanded we be at our best.
DEADLINE: Boy Willie strives to create a new life for himself as a farmer.
How did talking to people in the profession help you get into character?
We had these weekly conversations about farming and sustainability.
He explained how his grandad came into it, and the governments influence.
The tangibility of that gave me motivation for why Boy Willie is on this quest.
DEADLINE: What Lesson did you learn from the story?
WASHINGTON:I learned something about the past, and the way it can creep up on you.
Everybody has their own different interpretation of what that looks like and what that means for them.
There are also several themes in this that attracted me to this.
One is the Charles family dynamic, second is the history of our oppression.
WASHINGTON:Theater is more possessive and autonomous.
What I mean by that is a film performance is edited.
You act out different scenes and its cut together and hope It plays like it felt.
In theater, what you see in that performance is what you get.
You cant choose another take, or adjust lighting between takes.
You get one shot to be totally honest.
That, to me, is a major difference.
DEADLINE: The idea of autonomy in theater is interesting.
What you execute on set, may not always be what you see in the final product.
On stage as an actor, I have a bigger role in portraying the character and story.
You cant hide in the theater world.
DEADLINE: Have you been in tune to what the response was to your performance?
He loved the play, and he was just praising the performances.
DEADLINE: What projects do you have coming up that you’re free to tell us?
I heard aboutTrue Lovewhich also stars Gemma Chan and Alison Janney.
WASHINGTON:True Love, directed by Gareth Edwards, wrapped filming in early 2022.
It was a six month shoot and I think the story is brilliant.
It takes place in the near future, and thats all I can say about it.
DEADLINE: Last question: earlier you talked about Shakespeare.
Your father is clearly a Billy fan since he starred inJulius Caesaron Broadway in 2005.
Is there any Shakespearan play youd like to star in?
WASHINGTON:Id like a crack at Petruchio inTaming of the Shrew.
Theres something about him that I feel is a bit misunderstood.
