The entire Washington family is deeply involved in the film adaptation of August Wilson’s acclaimed play The Piano Lesson, making it a true family affair. Pauletta Pearson Washington proudly declared to Deadline at the Telluride Film Festival where the film premiered, “All my babies are involved in this.” Her son, Malcolm Washington, directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Virgil Williams. Her eldest son, John David Washington stars in the film, while her daughter, Olivia Washington also stars in the film. Olivia shares the same role with her mother, playing the character Mama Ola at different ages.
Adding to the family’s involvement, Katia Washington, Pauletta’s other daughter, serves as an executive producer of the film. Meanwhile, Pauletta’s husband, Denzel Washington, is a producer of The Piano Lesson. Denzel, along with his producing partner Todd Black, has committed to bringing Wilson’s entire ten-part American Century Cycle to the screen, with Fences, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and now The Piano Lesson already adapted.
Pauletta emphasizes the importance of Denzel’s role in honoring Wilson’s works, saying, “They couldn’t have chosen a better person than my husband to make sure all the works are given respect.”
Pauletta herself plays a pivotal role in the project. Todd Black refers to her as “the queen of The Piano Lesson,” and John David echoes this sentiment, describing her as “the glue that holds it all together.” He notes that his mother encouraged the family to visit her hometown in Newton, North Carolina, which significantly influenced Malcolm’s direction of the film. Malcolm acknowledges that the film honors his mother’s ancestors, noting the strong family connections present throughout the movie.
As a classically trained pianist and vocalist, Pauletta has deep personal ties to the play’s central theme, which revolves around a piano that is haunted by the spirits of two Black men who died trying to secure it as a family heirloom. Although she no longer plays publicly, Pauletta reflects on the artistic legacy she has passed down to her children, saying, “Art is in my bones, and to see that the children, my babies, have taken up the arts is moving to me.”
The Piano Lesson is set in 1936 Pittsburgh and centers on the Charles family, whose prized heirloom, a piano intricately carved by an enslaved ancestor, symbolizes their ancestral history and the legacy of slavery. The story explores themes of family conflict, legacy, and the supernatural as siblings Berniece and Boy Willie clash over whether to keep or sell the piano, representing a deeper struggle over how to honor their shared past.
The film stars Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington Danielle Deadwyler, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts, Corey Hawkins, and Grammy-winning singer Erykah Badu, who will make a musical cameo appearance. In addition, six more actors—Gail Bean, Stephan James, Malik J. Ali, Jerrika Hinton, Jay Peterson, and Matrell Smith—have joined the ensemble.
The Piano Lesson will be released in select theaters in the U.S. and U.K. on November 8, with a streaming debut on Netflix set for November 22.
Although not officially confirmed, it is anticipated that the next play to be adapted will be Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, a drama set in Pittsburgh in 1917. Pauletta emphasizes the importance of Denzel’s role in honoring Wilson’s works, saying, “They couldn’t have chosen a better person than my husband to make sure all the works are given respect.”