Paramount Pictures
Denzel Washington in "Fences."
The actor directed and starred in a movie adaptation of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Fences," which will likely decrease the chances of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy from happening for a third straight year.
"Fences" is one of Wilson's classics that examines the African American experience by following the Maxsons, a black family in 1950s Pittsburgh. Troy (Washington) is a former star baseball player who now works as a garbageman and struggles to provide for his family.
Washington won a Tony Award for his performance of the lead role in the 2010 Tony Award-winning revival of the play. He performed opposite Viola Davis, who played Troy's wife Rose and also won a Tony for her performance. Davis reprises her role in Washington's film adaptation.
"Fences" is likely to garner a lot of attention for offering black actors a chance to break into the award races, and Wilson's work stands the test of time.
The film is set to be released nationwide on Christmas.
Watch the full trailer:
Watch a clip of Davis and Washington's performance in the 2010 Broadway revival: