We all know Denzel Washington as one of the most talented and bankable actors working today. What many have overlooked is the success he's had behind the camera, directing films such as Antoine Fisher and The Great Debaters. It's a side of him that I hope to see more of, and it looks like Washington has his eyes already set on what his next project will be.
After starring in a 12-week, Tony-nominated Broadway run in August Wilson's Fences back in 2010, Washington now hopes to direct and star in a feature film adaptation. The sixth of Wilson's 10-part "Pittsburgh Cycle", the 1950s era story follows 53-year old Troy Maxon, a trash collector who was once a great baseball player, but was unable to fulfill his dream of going pro thanks to the color barrier.
Washington was obviously taken in by Wilson's script, which the playwright developed back in 1983. He tells Empire....
Washington: "It reawakened me about the work, and my commitment to the work. I said to myself: 'I've got to dig deeper. The reason I did 'Fences' is that Scott Rudin sent me the script August Wilson wrote - the only one of his plays that he wrote as a screenplay - to act and direct. I really do want to direct [the film version]."
Viola Davis co-starred with Washington on the stage, and it wouldn't be at all surprising if he hit her up to be a part of the film. Washington and Davis together? Yeah, I'd pay to see that. Washington's performance in Flight earned him a Best Actor nomination at this year's Academy Awards, airing on February 24th.
