Video: John David Washington Shares Challenges of Reprising THE PIANO LESSON Role in Film Adaptation

John David Washington, who appeared as Boy Willie in the 2023 Broadway revival of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson, is reprising the role in the new film adaptation. On a recent visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live, the performer talked about what it was like to work on the project and how it differs from the play.

"I had to relearn the play for the movie," Washington shared. "There were so many changes that were made [and] different motivations," adding that this made the process harder for him after performing the original play on Broadway. In previous interviews, the cast and crew have revealed that the movie expands on the play, adding new scenes that were only alluded to in the play script.

His father, Denzel Washington, was a producer for both the play and the film. He said that his mother came to see the production 40-odd times, giving him "notes afterward breaking down what I did, what I didn't do...She's tough." Watch the full interview now!

The Piano Lesson is directed and co-written by Malcolm Washington in his feature directorial debut. From Oscar-nominated producers Denzel Washington and Todd Black, and features an all-star cast including Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu with Danielle Deadwyler, and Corey Hawkins.  Potts, John David Washington, Fisher, and Jackson all reprise their roles from the 2022 Broadway revival, which broke records becoming the highest-grossing revival of a play on Broadway. The movie will receive a limited theatrical release on November 8 and be available to stream on Netflix on November 22.

In addition to winning the Pulitzer Prize for drama, The Piano Lesson has won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play, the Peabody Award, and was nominated for the 1990 Tony Award for Best Play.