John David Washington, the talented actor who stars alongside Samuel L. Jackson in the movie “The Piano Lesson,” recently made an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” The talk show, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, provided the perfect platform for Washington to discuss his experience working with Jackson, his mother’s acting notes, and his family’s Thanksgiving traditions.
During the interview, Washington shared that Samuel L. Jackson is not only his co-star but also a long-time friend of his father, Denzel Washington. When asked if Jackson taught him any colorful language, Washington jokingly admitted that he hasn’t quite mastered the art of saying “motherf****r” like Jackson does.
The conversation then shifted to “The Piano Lesson,” a play in which Washington and Jackson previously performed together on Broadway. Washington mentioned that spending time with Jackson allowed him to learn more about his father’s early days on Broadway and Off Broadway. He also talked about the pressure of playing a role that Jackson originated in 1987.
Interestingly, Washington revealed that he had to relearn the play for the movie adaptation because there were significant changes in the script and motivations. He admitted that this made the process more challenging for him personally.
Washington’s mother, who is a tough critic, attended the play multiple times and provided detailed notes afterward. He expressed that she would sit in the audience, trying to gather feedback about his performance without giving anything away. She supported him throughout the process, even helping him prepare for the role by running lines with him.
The conversation took a fun turn when the topic of Magic Johnson came up. Washington mentioned that he has the same size teeth as the basketball legend and even shared a cute photo of them together. Johnson complimented Washington on his teeth, which the actor found amusing.
Switching gears, Washington shared that his family has a strict Thanksgiving menu that includes candy yams, collard greens, cornbread, mac and cheese, honey-baked ham, turkey, and his mother’s famous sweet tea from North Carolina. After dinner, the family has a tradition of going to the movies the next day, with films like “Creed” and “Napoleon” being some of their previous choices.
As the interview wrapped up, Kimmel asked if Washington ever goes to see his father’s movies. The actor admitted that he doesn’t recall going to see any of them with his dad, perhaps suggesting that they may opt for something more lighthearted like “Moana” instead. He teased that he might have some secrets to share about his dad off-camera but decided to keep them to himself to avoid any controversy.
All in all, it was an entertaining interview that provided insights into John David Washington‘s career, his relationship with Samuel L. Jackson, and his family’s Thanksgiving traditions. Fans can catch Washington in “The Piano Lesson,” opening soon and available on Netflix starting November 22nd.
