Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington’sThe Piano Lessontells an intense story about hope and heritage, and its narrative seems realistic enough to be based on a true story. TheDenzel Washington-producedThe Piano Lessontells the story of the Charles family and their family heirloom, a piano. The family is split, as Boy Willie (John David Washington) wants to sell the piano and secure wealth for his family, while Berniece (Dianne Deadwyler) views it as their family’s legacy.The Piano Lessontackles some universal themes in a very relatable way, and the story is so compelling that it often seems true.
Reviews forThe Piano Lessonhave been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s largely due to how relatable its plot is. That sense of familiarity helpedThe Piano Lessonachieve a high Rotten Tomatoes scoreof 90% even before it premiered on Netflix. Even though there are several supernatural elements inThe Piano Lesson, its story feels so universal that it can even seem like it was based on a true story. The film wasn’t, however, telling a true story, but it was based on real life, and its actual inspiration comes from an even more surprising source.
The Piano Lesson Is Not Based On A True Story
The Piano Lesson Is Based On August Wilson’s Fictional Play
Though it tells a mostly realistic story,The Piano Lessonis not based on a true story. It is instead based on a 1987 play of the same name penned by legendary playwright August Wilson.The Piano Lessonis part of Wilson’s “Pittsburgh Cycle,” a group of 10 stage plays that were meant to celebrate and examine the experiences of Black Americans throughout each decade of the 20th century. That explains whyThe Piano Lessonhas such a realistic story, as Wilson’s plays were about the average experience many Black people in America had.
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There’s also a sense that August Wilson’s workswereinspired by real life. The playwright grew up in Pittsburgh, where all but one of his plays was set, and many of his characters were likely based upon real people he knew throughout his life.Both thePittsburgh CycleandThe Piano Lessonalso serve as something of a time capsule for a moment in history for many Black Americans. Even though the actual plot of the play isn’t based on facts, it contains enough kernels of truth to be considered a good representation of reality for people at that time.
The Piano Lesson’s Original Play Was Inspired By A 1983 Painting
August Wilson Was Inspired By Romare Bearden Several Times
Though August Wilson didn’t take inspiration from a real life family while writingThe Piano Lesson, he was inspired by someone else.Wilson actually got the idea forThe Piano Lessonfrom a 1983 print by Romare Bearden titled “The Piano Lesson (Homage to Mary Lou),"(viaSmithsonian Magazine). Wilson himself has spoken at length about how much he admired Bearden’s artwork, and it’s fairly clear to see how the painting helped inspire his Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Both versions ofThe Piano Lessonemphasize the role music has played in generations of families, though Wilson’s took a more complicated approach to the topic.
Wilson himself has spoken at length about how much he admired Bearden’s artwork, and it’s fairly clear to see how the painting helped inspire his Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
That wasn’t the first time Wilson cited Bearden as one of his inspirations, however, asJoe Turner’s Come and Goneoriginally shared its title with an earlier Bearden artwork, titled “Mill Hand’s Lunch Bucket.“Wilson’s enduring interest in Bearden’s art also fits perfectly with the goal he set for thePittsburgh Cycle, as both artists emphasized the triumphs and joys of being Black. It also fits perfectly with the film version ofThe Piano Lesson, as almost anyone, regardless of race, can relate to questions of legacy and how to move forward without forgetting about the past.
The Piano Lesson
Cast
In The Piano Lesson, a brother and sister clash over selling a family heirloom piano—he sees it as a path to wealth, while she views it as a vital link to their heritage. Their uncle tries to mediate, but the conflict reveals deep truths about identity, legacy, and the past.
