From the classic Who鈥檚 Afraid of Virginia Woolf? to the more recent August: Osage County, a movie adaptation of a stage play is nothing new in entertainment. But a film that reunites nearly the full Broadway cast? That鈥檚 different. Such is the case with Denzel Washington鈥檚 buzzed-about picture Fences. Not only do he and co-star Viola Davis reprise their Tony-winning roles as Troy and Rose Maxson from the award-winning 2010 Broadway revival, but Stephen McKinkley Henderson, Russell Hornsby, and Mykelti Williamson also return in their original Broadway roles. Davis has now also won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in the film awards.
Washington sought the wide exposure of cinema for Wilson鈥檚 work. 鈥淚t means it鈥檚 an opportunity for millions of people to see it now instead of thousands,鈥� he tells 半岛体育. 鈥淎nd, understanding it鈥檚 a universal story,鈥� Davis continues. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a story about a black family; it鈥檚 a story about the human condition.鈥�
With the Tony-winning revival serving as a rock-solid foundation, how much did the cast carry over from their Broadway outing? 鈥淭he text,鈥� says Henderson, who plays Mr. Bono. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 all. The only thing that informs me doing it six years later is the same text.鈥�
鈥淒enzel said the play was the play,鈥� adds Hornsby, who plays Troy鈥檚 oldest son. 鈥淚 think we had to reinvestigate, reexamine the material and come at it with fresh eyes. You can鈥檛 help but do that, because I鈥檓 taking a character [and] I鈥檓 six years older than I was. I鈥檓 married six years longer. I now have a son I didn鈥檛 have then. I鈥檓 a father. And so, because of that, I鈥檓 thinking about different things. It can鈥檛 help but enrich the work.鈥�
More impactful than the six-year gap was the immediacy of the camera compared to the stage. 鈥淭hese are people being alive in the moment,鈥� says Williamson, who plays Gabe, the disabled brother to Washington鈥檚 Troy. 鈥淭his is much more intimate than Broadway, and from the intimacy, it gives birth to a lot of other discovery.鈥�
Yet, many film critics say that the film鈥檚 power feels like that of a play. 鈥淲henever people feel like you鈥檙e speaking above a whisper, they feel like you are being too big or chewing up the scenery. But [the moments] have to be out there, as they were on the stage,鈥� Davis told Entertainment Weekly. Perhaps that rawness is the one thing that followed this cast from stage to screen. That and the brilliance of playwright August Wilson.
鈥淎ugust鈥檚 words, August鈥檚 stories, they never leave you,鈥� says Hornsby.
鈥淗e is a genius,鈥� says Washington. 鈥淗e. Is. A. Genius. It was a privilege and an honor and a responsibility to bring his work to film.鈥�
