We're living in a time of nepo-baby discourse, but the noise around how much privilege is afforded to the offspring of established actors, producers and directors in Hollywood can sometimes drown out potentially impressive work.
Whatever your take on the topic, you probably won't disagree that a new trailer for Netflix's upcoming movie The Piano Lesson looks stunning. The fact that it stars one of Denzel Washington's sons and is written and directed by another is just one intriguing subplot here.
The movie is a bold adaptation of a beloved and acclaimed play by August Wilson, one that earned the Pulitzer Prize, and tells the story of one Black family's shared history using an heirloom piano as the focal point.
That adaptation has been taken on by Malcolm Washington, one of Denzel's own family, co-written with Virgil Williams – and Washington also helmed the movie as director. To make it even more of a family affair, John David Washington is in a leading role, another of Denzel's progeny.
The movie will hit Netflix on 22 November, but it also might get a release in cinemas if Netflix thinks it could put together an awards run – from the trailer it certainly looks really striking.
We get carried through a series of glimpses of family life, often for only a split second at a time, alongside quick looks at the rest of the impressive cast, which includes Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Danielle Deadwyler and more. They'll represent different generations, but it seems like the movie will also have some scary, almost haunting sequences to share, too.
Late November is a little while away, so there's still plenty of time before the movie arrives, and we'd assume that we'll get another longer trailer at some point that slows things down a little. Still, if you ever saw the play or are a fan of any Washington family member's work, this looks like one to watch.
The best streaming service might not purely be the one with the most nepo-babies on board, after all, but it looks like Netflix isn't averse to a little name power.
