Danielle Deadwyler is starring in the new film adaptation of The Piano Lesson, and it is a privilege that she is not taking for granted. “I’m one who was taught how to practice this art through [August Wilson]’s works,” she told BroadwayWorld’s Richard Ridge. “My mentors, my OGs, are all Wilsonians in that way, so when I am able to do that for myself in such a global. manner in regards to this release, I am humbled and excited, because I finally get to do it! And I have all of this legacy of artistic, intellectual, and spiritual understanding.”
A battle is brewing in the Charles Household. At the center stands a prized heirloom piano tearing two siblings apart. On one side, a brother (John David Washington) plans to build the family fortune by selling it. On the other, a sister (Deadwyler) will go to any lengths to hold onto the sole vestige of the family’s heritage. Their uncle (Samuel L. Jackson) tries to mediate, but even he can’t hold back the ghosts of the past.
Adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork, The Piano Lesson explores the intergenerational dynamics of identity, resilience and transcendence – revealing startling truths about how we perceive the past and who gets to define our legacy.
The Piano Lesson is now available to stream on Netflix. Watch our full interview with Deadwyler as she chats more about her all-star cast and creative team.
