It’s been a big weekend for the Washington family. While patriarch Denzel Washington chewed the scenery on multiplex screens in “Gladiator II,” the next generation of Washingtons stormed onto streaming with the film adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winner “The Piano Lesson.” With the Netflix film, Denzel and Pauletta Washington’s kids — director Malcolm, actor […]

The past is ever present in our lives, so it’s unsurprising that many movies lean on that juxtaposition in the stories they tell. In 2024, the past casts an espe- cially big shadow across films like “The Brutalist,” “Gladiator II,” “The Piano Lesson,” “Conclave,” “A Real Pain” “Exhibiting Forgiveness,” “The Return” and even the comedy […]

Variety has selected its 10 Directors to Watch for 2025. In a fiercely competitive year, Coralie Fargeat (“The Substance”), Malcolm Washington (“The Piano Lesson”) and Halina Reijn (“Babygirl”) are among the filmmakers whose work earned them a place on the publication’s annual list. For 28 years, Variety has identified noteworthy up-and-coming directors making waves with […]

Danielle Deadwyler is a force of nature. The versatile actor’s career has skyrocketed in recent years, with roles that span genres and defy expectations. In 2024 alone, Deadwyler took on a staggering five projects, yet none resonated with her, quite like “The Piano Lesson.” On this episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Deadwyler opens […]