News

Quick Links 'The Piano Lesson' Is an Engrossing Adaptation of a Pulitzer-Winning Play Samuel L. Jackson Knocks It Out of the Park Yet Again Critics and Audiences Are Impressed with 'The Piano Lesson'

Samuel L. Jackson has been a beloved and respected presence on the silver screen for decades, having proven himself to be one of Hollywood's most dynamic and entertaining leading men throughout the course of his illustrious career. There is no genre, role, or film Jackson can't completely make his own, having starred in a slew of unforgettable classics like Pulp Fiction, A Time to Kill, The Incredibles, and Django Unchained (to name just a few of his endless hits), and his films have collectively grossed over $27 billion, making him the highest-grossing actor of all time.

Apart from his dazzling cinema work, Jackson has also had a prominent presence on the stage and on Broadway,...

This review was originally published on September 16, 2024 as a part of our Toronto International Film Festival coverage.

August Wilson, the late acclaimed American playwright, chronicled some of the best stories about African American experiences using deeply humanized and comprehensive storytelling. Some of his notable theater works include Fences and Ma Raineys Black Bottom, both of which have been adapted into film. Denzel Washington, who produced both features, returns for a third Wilson adaptation with The Piano Lesson,which sees a Black family adapt to life in 1936 Pittsburgh following the Great Depression. Directed by Malcolm Washington and featuring a star-studded, talented cast, The Piano Lesson captures the importance of honoring our ancestors through legacy.

The Piano Lesson

In The Piano Lesson, a brother and sister clash over selling a family heirloom pianohe sees it as a path to wealth, while she views it as a vital link to their heritage. Their uncle tries to mediate,...

The Piano Lesson has finally been released on Netflix, and here is a full breakdown of the cast and characters from the film. Director Malcolm Washington is adapting the critically acclaimed 1987 play into a feature film, with him working alongside some of the most talented actors who are working today. There are tons of talented individuals in The Piano Lesson, and here's who they all are.

The Piano Lesson follows the Charles family, a multi-generational group of characters who have to decide what they want to do with the titular piano. The piano is a family heirloom that was crafted by the enslaved ancestors of the Charles family, with it being beautifully decorated and passed down. Some want to sell the piano and others want to preserve it, leading to a major conflict within the Charles family.

Actor

Role

John David Washington

Boy Willie Charles

Samuel L. Jackson

Doaker Charles...

Star Wars actor John Boyega will appear alongside Till's Danielle Deadwyler in a biopic following the iconic career and tragic demise of soul artist Otis Redding. The film, titled Otis & Zelma, was announced just a few days before Redding's posthumous reception of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame a ceremony that is set to occur this Friday on October 4th.

Directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples, an up-and-coming American filmmaker whose debut project Miss Juneteenth received critical acclaim, the Redding biopic will follow the singer-songwriter's short but star-studded career, as well as the incredible resilience of his widowed wife, Zelma (via Variety). Redding's powerful legacy includes hits like "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect," and "Try a Little Tenderness," but the artist's life was tragically lost in a 1967 plane crash. He was only 26 years old at the time of his death, survived by his wife of only nine years,...

Exclusive: Netflix‘s feature adaptation of the play The Piano Lesson out of August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle” has added six to its cast: Malik J. Ali (Swagger), Gail Bean (Snowfall), Jerrika Hinton (Hunters), Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk), Jay Peterson (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) and Matrell Smith (The Equalizer).

The casting announcement follows Tuesday’s for four-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Erykah Badu, who will make a cameo appearance with musical performances. John David Washington and Samuel L. Jackson lead the film after starring in a Broadway revival of the play which brought the latter a Tony Award nomination, with Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts and Corey Hawkins rounding out the ensemble.

Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of the Great Depression, The Piano Lesson centers on the lives of the Charles family in the Doaker Charles household and an heirloom, the family piano,...