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UPDATE: Now I hear Denzel Washington is considering directing a film version of Fences. (Bravo!) The last time he helmed a pic was The Great Debaters in 2007 and, of course, Antwone Fisher in 2002. The toughest thing when great movie stars head to Broadway is that their performances live in the moment. At Monday’s Broadway premiere of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Fences that was unusually packed with Hollywood faces, the buzz was whether a movie will be made out of the triumphant performances by Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Mykelti Williamson, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Chris Chalk, and Russell Hornsby. Well, if they aren’t thinking movie, they should start. The fiery moments between Washington and Davis alone are gold and worth preserving for posterity. Washington brings a virility and defiance to embittered protagonist Troy Maxson, and Davis drew audible sympathy from the crowd for her portrayal of his long-suffering wife. The movie crowd at the Bryant Park Grill included Scott Rudin (who produced the play with Carole Shorenstein Hays), Spike Lee, Mike Nichols, Nora Ephron and Nick Pileggi, WME toppers Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, producers like Scott Stuber and directors like Peter Berg, who huddled with Universal honcho Jimmy Horowitz to discuss the logistics of their upcoming tent pole film Battleship. Also spotted were actors like The Hurt Locker‘s Anthony Mackie, James Gandolfini, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Chris Rock and Precious star Gabourey Sidibe.
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Come to think of it, it’s interesting to note that no August Wilson plays have been given the Hollywood treatment. This might be the right vehicle, the right cast and the right time.
The Piano Lesson made into a pretty good TV movie starring Wilson-regular Charles Dutton.
Denzel is WAY too young for the role, anybody see the play?
Denzel is 55; the character Troy Maxson is 53.
TROY MAXSON (funny!), DENZEL is PRECISELY the age of the character, TROY!!! In “real life,” DENZEL is 55 YRS old! Will be 56 in December. He’s actually OLDER than the character he portrays in the play. Not sure what play YOU saw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This would obviously be a great chance for these actors to show their chops, and it would fantastic for audiences to see them go through their paces, but the truly amazing thing would be to witness August Wilson’s Pittsburgh cycle finally get its due in front of a much larger audience. Wilson’s 10-play magnum opus is probably the best kept, really big secret in contemporary narrative. Novels often get a second life when they’re turned into movies, but it’s less frequent these days for a playwright to be discovered or rediscovered through the medium. More often than not, it’s the other way around. Hollywood colonizes the stage.
So how cool would it be to see one of the country’s greatest stars, Denzel Washington, bringing August Wilson to life on the big screen? Now that you mention it, I have a dream. If Fences is a hit, let’s see the entire Wilson cycle put on the big screen over the next decade. What a showcase for this country’s great black actors. There must be fifty superb roles scattered throughout these plays. As I talk, it sounds like a much better idea for HBO–the Pittsburgh cycle, starring Denzel and Khandi and Wendell and Samuel L. and Jada and Will and Ving and Anthony Mackie and on and on.
Still, first things first. Critical thing for Fences will be the right director, someone who can take this material and repurpose it for the big screen.
Charles Dutton- The Piano Lesson-1995 established the playwright on TV.
Hollywood can not handle his plays that define an aspect of blackness within the larger culture.
Secondly where is the market?
Third remembering my conversation with the late playwright Ron Milner, Denzel takes things certain ways. But he has grown since the eighties Malcom X in particular. I just don’t see him carrying the market that Fences needs.
He has transformed himself from the Glory days.
I would prefer Council Cargle but as I said where is the black or white market for this film?
I would love to see a film made of the play “Intimate Apparel,” which I saw Off-Broadway in NYC a few years ago.
It was a beautiful, powerful production, and Ms. Davis’ performance was spectacular!
Put it on HBO. It’s a prestige piece that would win all the hardware at award season, it would allow Denzel and company the luxury of not having to worry about box office and it would get stellar ratings. Otherwise, you’re aiming for a very narrow market in the theaters.
I can think of anything more entertaining than the entire August Wilson cycle of play. Except perhaps the Horton Foote plays.
There is always a market for an American masterpiece starring brilliant actors. Especially come Oscar season.
Who’s playing the son in the play?
And does he have enough star power (ppl behind him) to move with them for the film adaptation?
That’s a pretty coveted role as well…
August Wilson said (and I heard him live) he wrote “Fences” with the intention of writing a straight-forward play/drama. Maybe that’s the playwright’s code for “something Hollywood execs could comprehend.”
I saw the show. It’s alright. It misses the deep heart and pain of the play (in my opinion) and exchanges it with Denzel’s shiney charisma and feet-planted execution of the text. Viola Davis shines, unsurprisingly…bringing truth, heart and soul to her role. It’s not a bad show by any stretch, but with the caliber of talent involved I expected A LOT more.
chris chalk (who plays the son, cory) is an AMAZING actor (and a great guy). i had the good fortune of working with him on a project a few years ago and he’s truly exceptional. it’s always nice to see kind, talented, hard working people break through. i hope he gets his shot if they do decide to turn it into a film.
I enjoyed watching Fences. Denzel was spectacular
The acting is pretty awesome as Mike and commenters have said — however – despite Wilson winning the Pulitzer for this in 1983 (deeming it “classic” I guess), it’s hard to watch African American actors having to hash out class problems over 20 years later, especially when a couple of stages over “Next to Normal” shows a bunch of white people singing about issues like being bipolar, finding the right therapist, and performing at piano recitals. It’s hard to want to canonize certain peices of art when it reinforces old stereotypes.
Denzel has been an amazing actor, but what surprised me the most is how amazing a DIRECTOR he is. Unbelievable skills that man has!
i agree…Denzel is too young but anything will be done to get butts in seats. love all those actors but they’ve become the usual suspects when it comes to casting black folks (chris chalk aside). there are more than the 30 – 40 black actors we see all the time. enough all ready!!
COCO, WHY do u people INSIST on saying that Denzel is TOO YOUNG to play the role of, “Troy?” DENZEL is FIFTY-FIVE years old! FIFTY-SIX in December! He is the EXACT SAME AGE as the CHARACTER in the play!!!!!!! GEEZ!!!
Saw the play. Incredible story and performances. Here’s one white guy who would line up to see the movie.
Is there a DVD version of the play available for classroom use?