Denzel Washington produced “The Piano Lesson,” but he wasn’t the boss. His son, the director, was
Writer-director Malcolm Washington, actors John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Corey Hawkins, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts and writer Virgil Williams talk “The Piano Lesson” at the Los Angeles Times Studios at RBC House. What was it like with Denzel Washington on set? Why is this story so important over the decades? The group breaks it all down.
Matt Brennan is a Los Angeles Times’ deputy editor for entertainment and arts. Born in the Boston area, educated at USC and an adoptive New Orleanian for nearly 10 years, he returned to Los Angeles in 2019 as the newsroom’s television editor. He previously served as TV editor at Paste Magazine, and his writing has also appeared in Indiewire, Slate, Deadspin and numerous other publications.
Nicholas Ducassi is an audience editor for Entertainment and Arts at the Los Angeles Times. He has interviewed artists at the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and more, including Eva Longoria, Seth Meyers, America Ferrera, Henry Winkler, Helen Mirren and Jamie Lee Curtis. His videos have garnered more than 100 million views and nominations from the Television Academy and the L.A. Press Club.
Mark E. Potts is the senior editor for video at the Los Angeles Times. A native of Enid, Okla., Potts graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism. He has created and edited video for DreamWorks, YouTube, Microsoft, Sony and BET.
