Denzel and Pauletta Washington's Son Malcolm Was Inspired by Grandfather onThe Piano LessonSet: 'He Is Guiding Me'

Mar. 15, 2025

(Left-right:) Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and Ray Fisher in ‘The Piano Lesson’.Photo:Courtesy of NetflixMalcolm Washington, son ofDenzelandPaulettaWashington, had support from family members — living and dead — while making his new movie.“A big part of [The Piano Lesson] was based on my grandfather,” the director, 33, revealed in an interview withDeadlinepublished Monday, Nov. 18. Pauletta’s father, he said, “passed away when I was eight years old. But as you can imagine, he was a big influence on my mom.”That influence extended to Malcolm in co-writing and making his feature film directorial debut with the screen adaptation ofAugust Wilson’s seminal playThe Piano Lesson(in theaters now and streaming on Netflix Nov. 22), about a family heirloom piano engraved with ancestors’ faces. StarringJohn David Washington,Samuel L. Jackson,Danielle Deadwylerand more, it has picked up multiple festival honors since its premiere at Telluride in August, including aGotham AwardEnsemble Tribute for the cast.(Left-right:) Pauletta Washington, Malcolm Washington and Denzel Washington on Sept. 10.Mat Hayward/GettyPauletta “always talked to me about [her father] and how I reminded her of him and that his qualities live in me,” said Malcolm. “When I think of what I want to be as a man, I think of him even though we only shared my first eight years of life together.”He added, “in this way, he is guiding me.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Furthermore, Malcolm recalled finding video tapes his grandfather had agreed to record, in which he talked “about his philosophy of love, spirituality and the history of his life.” Pauletta “could never watch the tapes and never did anything with them… I cut them together on Father’s Day into a little clip and sent it to her.”As he was grappling with family legacy in adapting Wilson’s classic drama, Malcolm continued, “I felt like I was watching this man teach me from a conversation he had 20 years before about who I can be.”John David Washington and Skylar Smith in ‘The Piano Lesson’.Courtesy of NetflixHis grandfather’s face “is adorned in the piano” in the film, he said, “because his spirit was in this project and in the room with us.” Also embedded in the film: Malcolmdedicated it to his mother.The Piano Lesson, costarringErykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Jerrika Hinton, Gail Bean andCorey Hawkins, is in theaters now and on Netflix Nov. 22.

(Left-right:) Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and Ray Fisher in ‘The Piano Lesson’.Photo:Courtesy of Netflix

Courtesy of Netflix

Malcolm Washington, son ofDenzelandPaulettaWashington, had support from family members — living and dead — while making his new movie.“A big part of [The Piano Lesson] was based on my grandfather,” the director, 33, revealed in an interview withDeadlinepublished Monday, Nov. 18. Pauletta’s father, he said, “passed away when I was eight years old. But as you can imagine, he was a big influence on my mom.”That influence extended to Malcolm in co-writing and making his feature film directorial debut with the screen adaptation ofAugust Wilson’s seminal playThe Piano Lesson(in theaters now and streaming on Netflix Nov. 22), about a family heirloom piano engraved with ancestors’ faces. StarringJohn David Washington,Samuel L. Jackson,Danielle Deadwylerand more, it has picked up multiple festival honors since its premiere at Telluride in August, including aGotham AwardEnsemble Tribute for the cast.(Left-right:) Pauletta Washington, Malcolm Washington and Denzel Washington on Sept. 10.Mat Hayward/GettyPauletta “always talked to me about [her father] and how I reminded her of him and that his qualities live in me,” said Malcolm. “When I think of what I want to be as a man, I think of him even though we only shared my first eight years of life together.”He added, “in this way, he is guiding me.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Furthermore, Malcolm recalled finding video tapes his grandfather had agreed to record, in which he talked “about his philosophy of love, spirituality and the history of his life.” Pauletta “could never watch the tapes and never did anything with them… I cut them together on Father’s Day into a little clip and sent it to her.”As he was grappling with family legacy in adapting Wilson’s classic drama, Malcolm continued, “I felt like I was watching this man teach me from a conversation he had 20 years before about who I can be.”John David Washington and Skylar Smith in ‘The Piano Lesson’.Courtesy of NetflixHis grandfather’s face “is adorned in the piano” in the film, he said, “because his spirit was in this project and in the room with us.” Also embedded in the film: Malcolmdedicated it to his mother.The Piano Lesson, costarringErykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Jerrika Hinton, Gail Bean andCorey Hawkins, is in theaters now and on Netflix Nov. 22.

Malcolm Washington, son ofDenzelandPaulettaWashington, had support from family members — living and dead — while making his new movie.

“A big part of [The Piano Lesson] was based on my grandfather,” the director, 33, revealed in an interview withDeadlinepublished Monday, Nov. 18. Pauletta’s father, he said, “passed away when I was eight years old. But as you can imagine, he was a big influence on my mom.”

That influence extended to Malcolm in co-writing and making his feature film directorial debut with the screen adaptation ofAugust Wilson’s seminal playThe Piano Lesson(in theaters now and streaming on Netflix Nov. 22), about a family heirloom piano engraved with ancestors’ faces. StarringJohn David Washington,Samuel L. Jackson,Danielle Deadwylerand more, it has picked up multiple festival honors since its premiere at Telluride in August, including aGotham AwardEnsemble Tribute for the cast.

(Left-right:) Pauletta Washington, Malcolm Washington and Denzel Washington on Sept. 10.Mat Hayward/Getty

Mat Hayward/Getty

Pauletta “always talked to me about [her father] and how I reminded her of him and that his qualities live in me,” said Malcolm. “When I think of what I want to be as a man, I think of him even though we only shared my first eight years of life together.”

He added, “in this way, he is guiding me.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Furthermore, Malcolm recalled finding video tapes his grandfather had agreed to record, in which he talked “about his philosophy of love, spirituality and the history of his life.” Pauletta “could never watch the tapes and never did anything with them… I cut them together on Father’s Day into a little clip and sent it to her.”

As he was grappling with family legacy in adapting Wilson’s classic drama, Malcolm continued, “I felt like I was watching this man teach me from a conversation he had 20 years before about who I can be.”

John David Washington and Skylar Smith in ‘The Piano Lesson’.Courtesy of Netflix

His grandfather’s face “is adorned in the piano” in the film, he said, “because his spirit was in this project and in the room with us.” Also embedded in the film: Malcolmdedicated it to his mother.

The Piano Lesson, costarringErykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Jerrika Hinton, Gail Bean andCorey Hawkins, is in theaters now and on Netflix Nov. 22.

source: people.com