The prestigious honor comes nearly two decades after his passing!
Playwright August Wilson was recently honored posthumously with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. The Pittsburgh native was renowned for his works, which reflected the nuances of Black Americans and depicted the struggles and triumphs in a way that resonated with audiences worldwide. The crux of that work is The American Century Cycle (TACC), Wilson’s career-spanning project, which includes 10 plays, each set in a different decade in the 20th century, and all but one based in his beloved Pittsburgh.
“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is honored to pay tribute to trail-blazing playwright August Wilson, whose profound storytelling continues to inspire and resonate with audiences around the world,” said Ana Martinez, Producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies.
Wilson is best known for plays like Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Jitney, and Fences. The latter debuted on Broadway in 1987 with James Earl Jones cast in the lead role. The play ran for 525 performances and earned Wilson a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a Tony Award for Best Play, and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play. Wilson’s works were nominated six times for a Pulitzer Prize, with the legendary playwright receiving a 2nd Pulitzer Prize for his 1990 play, The Piano Lesson. Last year, the play was brought to the big screen, premiering on Netflix to rave reviews.
This past January 7th, cast members and filmmakers of The Piano Lesson, alongside actor Denzel Washington, joined Wilson’s wife, Constanza Romero Wilson, and family to celebrate his life as he received the 2,799th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Romero Wilson accepted the honor on his behalf, and Washington and Piano Lesson star Danielle Deadwyler all paid tribute to the writer and the legacy he leaves behind. Wilson passed away in 2005 from liver cancer, and his last work, Radio Golf, premiered on Broadway just months after his passing.
“August, my beloved husband, was a man of immense passion and unwavering dedication. He possessed a unique voice, a poet’s soul, and a deep understanding of the human condition,” Romero Wilson said at the ceremony.
Washington has brought several of Wilson’s plays to the big screen and has become the late playwright’s most prominent advocate. He previously starred on Broadway in Fences before bringing it to the silver screen alongside Viola Davis. He also produced Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which earned the late Chadwick Boseman a posthumous Golden Globe and Oscar nomination. Washington also produced The Piano Lesson on Netflix, with both of his sons joining him for the project. Malcolm Washington served as co-writer and director of the movie, and John David Washington starred in the film. Washington has vowed to bring all 10 of Wilson’s works in TACC to the big screen and previously spearheaded efforts to preserve the playwright’s home in Pittsburgh, turning it into a center for art and culture.
“August Wilson is one of the greatest playwrights in American history, in world history. It is a privilege and honor, responsibility and duty, and a joy to be a small part in keeping him alive,” Washington told Netflix.
Cover photo: Playwright August Wilson Posthumously Honored With Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame/Photo credit: Hollywood Walk of Fame