Quantcast
Channel: Fences – Movies

‘Fences’ Stars Reflect on Film’s Lighter Moments, Praise Washington and Davis’ Fearlessness

0
0
Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in 'Fences' (Photo: Paramount)

Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in ‘Fences’ (Photo: Paramount)

No conversation about 2016’s best films, let alone the year’s Oscar contenders, is complete without praising the Denzel Washington-directed drama “Fences.”

Based on August Wilson’s Tony Award-winning play of the same name, which Washington helped revive on Broadway in 2010, “Fences” is the story of a working class African-American family living in Pittsburgh in the 1950s.

Patriarch Troy Maxson (Washington) is a former Negro League baseball player turned struggling sanitation worker who dreams (and boasts) of the success that barely passed him by as he sat in prison and, later, raised a family. Troy is a reliable provider and a proud man, but his personal demons and difficult upbringing lead to strained relationships with his family—wife Rose (Viola Davis), disabled brother Gabriel (Mykelti Williamson), adult son Lyons (Russell Hornsby) and teenage son Cory (Jovan Adepo).

“Fences” features captivating and deeply emotional performances from the entire cast, particularly Washington and Davis, who are both Golden Globe-nominated for their roles. And despite the often-heartbreaking exchanges throughout the film, co-stars Hornsby and Adepo took a moment during an interview with XFINITY to point out the lighter moments that pepper the drama’s heavy narrative.

“Each and every one of the characters is going through their own private struggle in their own way, but I think if you’re truly looking for it, there are moments of love between the characters,” Adepo told me before turning to Hornsby. “There’s one that we never even talked about before: In the beginning, where Troy is talking to all of ya’ll in the back, and Rose is like, ‘You lying!’ And Denzel looks at Vi and he kisses her and he’s like, ‘Well, all right then!’ And you can tell that was a real moment. That had nothing to do with the script.”

“Yeah, yeah!” Horsby boomed as both men laughed.

“I completely forgot about that,” Adepo continued. “It just hit me just now. I remember him doing that. Those are the moments that you can see there’s love there in this family, for sure. It’s there, man.”

Hornsby also points to subtle connections between characters as evidence of a familial respect that permeates the film, even as those interactions are overshadowed by Troy’s often cold treatment of those around him, particularly the athletically gifted Cory.

“The greetings, the kisses, the hugs, the salutations,” he explained. “I come in, I kiss Rose. I come in, I slap hands with Bono [Stephen Henderson]. There’s the shared moment between Gabriel and Lyons. ‘Gabe—How you doing?’ ‘Lyons—King of the jungle!’ Those are just these lovely exchanges that people are having between each other.”

For more on “Fences,” which opens in theaters everywhere Christmas Day, check out my full interview with Adepo and Hornsby below:

 

David Onda: Is Troy Maxson a good man or a bad man?

Washington in 'Fences' (Photo: Paramount)

Washington in ‘Fences’ (Photo: Paramount)

Jovan Adepo: I don’t think he’s a bad man at all. I think it’s almost unfair to label him a “bad man,” because nobody’s perfect. I think he’s a multidimensional person, as all of us are. There’s not one side to any of us. If you use the metaphor of an onion, when you pull back the layers, there’s many sides to the man. If anything, he’s misunderstood. And that’s just speaking from an actor standpoint. I think Cory might not understand that. Cory might consider him … maybe a bad man, I don’t know.

Russell Hornsby: I don’t think he’s a bad man at all. I have to agree with Jovan. He is just misunderstood. I think what August does greatly, is August gives us a window into his past. If we choose to peer through that window, we’ll see what lead to why he lives this way, why he thinks this way and why things are very black and white for him. When he tells the story about his father and what his father did, those are traumatic moments. What he’s saying is, “The best I could do is what I’m doing. I’m doing more than what my dad did for me. I’m staying home, I’m sticking around and I’m providing for my family. Yes, I can get a little prickly at times, but I’m doing the best I can.” I think that’s what August is trying to convey through the character of Troy. He’s a tragic hero. It’s comparable to Arthur Miller’s Willy Loman in “Death of a Salesman.” Is Willy Loman a bad man who lies, who committed adultery? No, we say he’s a multidimensional character—one who is facing life on life’s terms and doing the best he can. And that’s what Troy’s doing. These are just men who were trying to become whole with fractured pieces.

Onda: Russell, having played the role of Lyons in both the movie and Broadway revival, how did the film version allow you to stretch, and were there any aspects that were more difficult?

Hornsby: It did allow me to stretch. Just the reexamination of it forced me to stretch and get more specific in every moment. Specificity is key. The whole endeavor is not difficult, but it’s challenging, because August forces you to bare your soul, and in the process of doing that, you have to tell the truth. And the truth is painful and the truth hurts.  Charles S. Dutton, who began his career with “Ma Rainey,” always said, “You have to leave a little blood on the stage.” Metaphorically leave a little blood, leave a piece of yourself on that stage or on that celluloid so that we can say that the character has lived. That’s the challenge of working on August, and I think that’s why he is one of the greatest playwright’s ever.

Russell Hornsby and Davis in 'Fences' (Photo: Paramount)

Russell Hornsby and Davis in ‘Fences’ (Photo: Paramount)

Onda: Troy’s relationship with Lyons is a little less strained than the one he has with Cory. Is Troy not as threatened by Lyons because Lyons never surpassed Troy’s success the way Cory seems poised to do?

Hornsby: I think there could possibly be something to say to that. I think he’s dealing with a level of guilt because he wasn’t around. But also, I think you have to understand that he has to deal with Lyons man to man. Not necessarily with Cory. There’s a delicate balance that happens. Lyons says, “I’m 34 years old. I’m a grown man. You can’t just treat me any sort of way. You can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to me, but you can’t come in here and put no judgement on me. I’m not gonna accept or tolerate that.” He can do that to Cory because Cory’s still a kid, he’s still a child, he’s living under his roof.  They have a man-to-man relationship. Although that’s still his father and he still wants his father’s love, but he’s still a man.

Onda: It’s no secret that Denzel Washington is one of the most intense men on film. He’s intimidating as a viewer, but Jovan, you are in the thick of it with him. At any moment, I felt like he could just haul off and slug you. Tell me about being in those moments with him.

Adepo: That’s just a testament to his freedom as an actor. He’s always doing something ever so different in each of the takes and that’s just him being unafraid of exploration as the character. I never felt like I was in danger working with Denzel, but I could definitely say that at any point he could have slugged me one. [laughs] Comparing the stage to film, the scene between Cory and his mother at the end—that “contact” that’s in the film wasn’t in the play. They added that in rehearsals. He was like, “There’s gotta be a physical element to the scene. Viola, figure it out.” And she was like, “Ok—WHAM.” And he was like, “Let’s go with that!” He set the stage and set the environment for everyone to be free and just be open to where a scene may take us. As long as we trust each other and trust in his overall plan, we’re gonna come out on top, and I was on board. I trusted him completely.

Washington and Davis in 'Fences' (Photo: Paramount)

Washington and Davis in ‘Fences’ (Photo: Paramount)

Onda: Speaking of Viola, she is incredible in the film. What is it she brings to a scene that makes you better as actors in that moment?

Adepo: I think her stillness. She’s very confident in herself as an actor. I remember, Russell, you said something earlier about how she brings a lot of herself and her past and how she was raised and her upbringing with her into the character. So, a lot of the time, that hurt that you feel—that’s deep-rooted. She’s always honest as well. You never get a moment of feeling like she’s calling something in, no matter how short the scene is or how complex it is or how simple it might be. She’s always bringing it completely and full-heartedly and completely truthful.

Hornsby: Viola’s very, very specific in every moment. Every moment is lived in, it’s full, it’s fleshed out. It is rare that you see that type of transparency as an actor in people’s work. A lot of actors either can’t or choose not to go to that level of truth and honesty. They’re afraid of it for whatever reason. And she is not. Harkening back to leaving a little blood on the stage, she leaves a vial—because you have to. The work demands it. The people who he’s writing about need it in order for their stories to be told fully. These aren’t archetypal characters. These are real people—they said [August] sat in diners and listened to these people. These people said these words. They’re real. If you’re not willing to go as deep into the root, into the soil as you can, then you’re doing August and these people a disservice.

Onda: Jovan, I read an interview in which you called August’s words “poetic,” which is not a word you often hear describing dialogue in a script.

Adepo: And that was something that was pointed out to me by Mr. Stephen Henderson. It was early in the rehearsal process, me confiding in him whatever I was trying to figure in different scenes and wanting to learn more about August, because he had had so much correspondence with August. Through our conversations, he pointed out, “There’s just a rhythm that you can hear. You ain’t gotta force it, you stay true to the material and it’s there. It’s a beat. You can snap to it.” And you can see that, definitely, in those moments in the back yard when Troy really gets into it. He’s on stage doing his thing and everybody’s sitting around and just listening to him and engaging him. It’s a dance. As Stephen would put it, “It’s like jazz.” That’s where I found that poetic vibe to it. It’s the rhythm of his words. It’s music.

Jovan Adepo and Washington in 'Fences' (Photo: Paramount)

Jovan Adepo and Washington in ‘Fences’ (Photo: Paramount)

Onda: Can you tell me about the evolution of Cory from boy to man over the course of the film. How did you adjust to show that transformation?

Adepo: That just came through trying to create a journey for Cory outside of what’s on the page. Denzel and Viola felt very strong about completely understanding your character, writing the biography and stuff like that. I knew, by the time Cory was walking down that alleyway after the big standoff, that was the point of no return. He figured out what he wanted to do with his life even though he figured it out on the day. And he was committed to it. And so, walking away, I just really had to figure out what happened in his life from that point to the point where he comes back. And what was fun about that was it was up to my interpretation what Cory went through when he decided to enter into the military—what wars he might have participated in, if he ever got to see any action. Me and Vi did a lot of talking about how often Cory might have come home or not have come home. How often did he speak to Rose while he was away? It was cool to engage in that with her. We would just be sitting around and be on the phone and she’d be like, “How often did Cory write home?” She wanted to know. It had nothing to do with trying to teach me something. She was like, “I wanna know for my own work, because when you come back, I wanna know when was the last time I saw you.” Her doing that informed me to do the same thing and to think about if Cory ever found love and a lot of things. With the preparation, and really digging into your character, when it’s time for him to come back and be showing some sort of change in behavior or journey, that all comes in the blanks that you fill in outside of the script.

Onda: You mentioned the physical contact with Viola earlier, and I appreciated the way you played it—how the man reverts back to the little boy when he’s scolded by his mother so harshly.

Adepo: Mama’s slaps always hurt a little bit. I don’t care if you bench-press 400 pounds, once she puts that hand on you … [whimpers].

Washington and Stephen Henderson in 'Fences' (Photo: Paramount)

Washington and Stephen Henderson in ‘Fences’ (Photo: Paramount)

Onda: There’s so much to unpack in “Fences” in terms of themes and lessons, both hidden and blatantly spelled out in the narrative. Which of those resonated most with you personally?

Hornsby: I think the whole idea and notion of letting go, of trying to find a way of letting go of the pain, trying to find a way of letting go of the resentment. It doesn’t serve you in the long run. You’ve lived your life, things have happened, your past is what it was, your childhood is what it was and now you have to be able and be willing to turn the page and let go and put a new chapter in. Because that’s gonna affect your future, obviously. You can talk about that in therapy or whatever you wanna call it, but at the end of the day, you’ve gotta let go. That’s the big lesson for Lyons and Cory as brothers having fatherhood issues—it is to let go of the past and not let it hold you hostage.

Adepo: I agree. Just listening to Russell say “let it go” … there was a saying I actually heard my dad say that “family is the link to your past, but the bridge to your future.” That would probably be something that resonates with me the most out of this film.

“Fences” opens in theaters everywhere Christmas Day. Click here for more information or to order tickets through Fandango.

The post ‘Fences’ Stars Reflect on Film’s Lighter Moments, Praise Washington and Davis’ Fearlessness appeared first on Movies.


Watch Live: The 89th Oscars Nominations Announcement

0
0

“La La Land.” “Moonlight.” “Manchester by the Sea.” “Fences.” “Jackie.”

Which films, filmmakers and stars will punch their ticket to Oscar Sunday, February 26, 2017? Find out when Jennifer Hudson, Brie Larson, Emmanuel Lubezki, Jason Reitman and Ken Watanabe join Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs to reveal the 89th Oscars nominations live beginning at 5:18 a.m. PST/8:18 a.m. EST on Tuesday, January 24.



Watch the Oscars nominations announcement live above. For more Oscars history, news, nominees, slideshows, winners and videos, vist xfinity.com/oscars.

 

The post Watch Live: The 89th Oscars Nominations Announcement appeared first on Movies.

David Onda’s Countdown to the 2017 Oscars: Who Will Win Best Supporting Actress?

0
0
2017 Oscars Best Supporting Actress nominees

2017 Oscars Best Supporting Actress nominees Naomi Harris, Nicole Kidman, Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis and Michelle Williams

Good morning from Hollywood!

Preparations for Sunday’s Academy Awards are in full swing in and around the Dolby Theatre, and I’m here on the ground in the City of Stars to cover every minute of it.

Are you wondering what the Oscars red carpet arrivals area looks like on the Monday before the Oscars? Check out my running gallery of red carpet set-up photos every day to see how Hollywood Blvd. is transformed from bare pavement into the world’s most famous runway.

As you can see from the first photos, there is a lot of work to be done. My first impressions of the arrivals area so far are that, once again, the red carpet is prepped for inclement weather. Although the forecast calls for another day of sun (or partial sun), the Academy clearly doesn’t want to get caught off-guard like they were a few years ago, scrambling at the last minute to add a roof to the red carpet. I’ve also noted in the photo gallery that the chain mail curtain has once again returned to the Dolby Theatre archway. I prefer the big billowing cloth curtain, but the chain curtain does create a cool effect when fully unfurled.

"Spotlight" pillarTwo more pretty cool notes from Hollywood Blvd.: First, the Academy has added last year’s Best Picture Oscar winner “Spotlight” to the giant pillars lining the great hall leading to the Dolby Theatre.

Second, during a 2010 interview with the Rebel Force Radio podcast, late “Star Wars” actress Carrie Fisher told the hosts she once asked Harrison Ford to perform a special tribute during the Oscars In Memoriam segment after her death.

“I asked him if he would be in my death reel, and if he would sing. It’s just something I want,” Fisher said, adding that she wants him to sing “Melancholy Wookiee.”

Fisher unexpectedly died at the age of 60 on December 27, leaving many fans wondering a) if the Academy will grant Ford the platform to honor this unusual last wish and b) if Ford will agree to do it.

Dinosaur holds "Sing for her, Harrison" signEnter: The Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium, which sits on the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave. in Hollywood overlooking the exact location where stars will exit their vehicles and begin the walk down the Oscars’ red carpet. The giant Tyrannosaurus Rex busting out of the museum’s roof has long been a popular photo stop for tourists from around the world, but this week, T-Rex is sending a message to one man (and perhaps the Academy) with a recently added sign that reads, “Sing for her, Harrison.”

Will the Oscars come through on Sunday?

One thing the Oscars is sure to deliver on is winners, and today we’ll begin a week-long look at this year’s nominees in six major categories: Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Picture. Who will win? Who should win? Who could win? Let’s find out with predictions for the Best Supporting Actress category.

And the Best Supporting Actress nominees are:

  • Naomie Harris (“Moonlight”)
  • Nicole Kidman (“Lion”)
  • Octavia Spencer (“Hidden Figures”)
  • Viola Davis (“Fences”)
  • Michelle Williams (“Manchester by the Sea”)

I’ll start by eliminating a few nominees: Kidman and Williams don’t stand a chance. In my opinion, Michelle was the least-deserving nominee on the list. I thought she overacted her most important scene in “Manchester by the Sea” and didn’t add much to the movie in her very limited screen time. She’s an amazing actress, of course, but miscast in a role that is better suited for a fresh talent. Kidman’s performance was fine, but I would have preferred to see Janelle Monae get a nomination for “Hidden Figures.”

That said, it’s down three very deserving actresses.

Who Will Win: Viola Davis. Listen, it’s a career-defining performance. After Oscar nominations for “Doubt” in 2009 and “The Help” in 2012, it’s time to honor Viola. During a December interview with “Fences” stars Jovan Adepo and Russell Hornsby, the actors praised her stillness, confidence, honesty and specificity as an actor. Those qualities manifest themselves in one of the most honest, gut-wrenching and touching performances of the year, and I believe Academy voters will honor it.

Who Should Win: Viola Davis

Who Could Win: Octavia Spencer. If there’s an upset lurking in the wings, it could be Spencer, who is wonderful in “Hidden Figures.” But Octavia has her Oscar. It’s Viola’s turn.

If you still haven’t seen all of this year’s Oscar-nominated films, what are you waiting for? You still have (nearly) six full days to catch up. XFINITY On Demand currently offers hundreds of Oscar-winning and -nominated films at your fingertips, including 2017 noms “Moonlight,” “Arrival,” “Hell or High Water,” “Manchester by the Sea,” “Nocturnal Animals,” “Hacksaw Ridge,” “Captain Fantastic,” “Florence Foster Jenkins” and “Loving.” See the full list here and start watching!

That’s all for now. Stay tuned to Xfinity.com/Oscars all week for continued Academy Awards coverage and set a reminder for Sunday night–the Oscars All Access live stream and backstage chat begins at 7 p.m. ET. Click here to bookmark and set a reminder.

Watch Oscar-nominated movies On DemandDownload your very own Oscars ballotGet more Oscars news, photos and video

The post David Onda’s Countdown to the 2017 Oscars: Who Will Win Best Supporting Actress? appeared first on Movies.

David Onda’s Countdown to the 2017 Oscars: Who Will Win Best Actor?

0
0
Best Actor nominees

Best Actor nominees Casey Affleck, Denzel Washington, Andrew Garfield, Ryan Gosling and Viggo Mortensen.

The Oscar statues have arrived on Hollywood Blvd.

You know Oscars Sunday is almost here when the first 6-foot-tall trophy statues are finally wheeled out onto the red carpet and begin to take their place along the arrivals area. But did you know that the statues go through meticulous touch-ups before making their debut?

Many set pieces are reused on the red carpet from year-to-year, but they aren’t simply rolled out of a warehouse somewhere in Hollywood and plopped down on the boulevard. Each year, a parking lot behind the El Capitan Theatre is the staging grounds for the red carpet’s accouterments. And yesterday, like an intimidating, silent, golden army, 16 giant Oscar statues stood out in the California sun awaiting fresh coats of glistening gold paint.

I’ve often said that the red carpet crew works around the clock preparing the arrivals area for Oscars Sunday, and that’s not hyperbole. The crews literally work through the night. And as I strolled down Hollywood Blvd. at around 11:30 p.m. last night, they were still hammering away in the unusually cold and windy L.A. night. That’s when I noticed the first statues had made the journey from pavement to carpet.

The Oscar statues get a pre-show paint job (left) and make their red carpet debut late Thursday night (right).

Oscar statues get a pre-show paint job (left) and make their red carpet debut late Thursday night.

I’ve made a slightly startling discovery during my travels through Hollywood this week.

Although I’ve considered most of this year’s big winners (I’m looking at you, Emma Stone) a relative lock to win, the general public is widely divided on which actors, actresses and films will take home an Oscar.

For example, last night I talked to a man dressed like Olaf the snowman from Disney’s “Frozen,” who not only believes Michael Shannon will win Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “Nocturnal Animals,” but claimed that “Lion” will win Best Picture. Um, what? His companion–who was, of course, dressed as Tinkerbell–told me Natalie Portman would win Best Actress for “Jackie,” before remembering she loves Meryl Streep and quickly changing her vote.

I guess the point is, we can sit here for hours and discuss who or what will win an Oscar, but at the end of the day, no two people process a movie the same way. That’s what makes film so special. To Olaf the Hollywood snowman, Michael Shannon is this year’s Best Supporting Actor. And that’s OK.

But … all that said … here are my predictions for Best Actor. The nominees are:

  • Casey Affleck (“Manchester by the Sea”)
  • Denzel Washington (“Fences”)
  • Andrew Garfield (“Hacksaw Ridge”)
  • Ryan Gosling (“La La Land”)
  • Viggo Mortensen (“Captain Fantastic”)

If there were any category “La La Land” is almost certain to lose, it’s this one. And I love Ryan Gosling in this movie. But, frankly, I think Emma Stone’s incredible performance makes him look more like a supporting talent than a commanding leading man. And while we’re eliminating nominees, I think we can rule out Viggo and Andrew as well. Sorry, guys.

Who Will Win: Casey Affleck. Ugh, this is hard. It’s a toss-up between Casey and Denzel, but Affleck has already won the Golden Globe, BAFTA and the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award, so I think this may be a lock. Casey gives a performance worthy of the Best Actor Oscar–commanding, nuanced and emotional from beginning to end–but if you’re familiar with his sordid past, this one may be a hard pill to swallow.

Who Should Win: Denzel Washington. Does Denzel need to win a third Oscar? Probably not. But his performance in “Fences” might be one of the finest examples of a leading performance in recent memory. The man doesn’t take a breath for the 30 minutes of the movie! It’s Denzel at his finest, and it would be so special to see he and Viola Davis both win on Sunday.

Who Could Win: Denzel Washington. I think it’s a toss-up.

That’s all for now. Remember: Beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, visit xfinity.com/oscars for the Oscars All Access live stream and my backstage chat. I’ll be in the Oscars press room with behind-the-scenes notes, winner reactions and more. You can set an email reminder now by clicking here.

Watch Oscar-nominated movies On DemandDownload your very own Oscars ballotGet more Oscars news, photos and video

The post David Onda’s Countdown to the 2017 Oscars: Who Will Win Best Actor? appeared first on Movies.

David Onda’s Countdown to the 2017 Oscars: Which Film Will Win Best Picture?

0
0
The 2017 Best Picture Nominees

The 2017 Best Picture Nominees: Who will win the big one?

The wait is finally over–it’s Oscar Sunday!

The live Oscars telecast begins tonight on ABC at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT with coverage of the red carpet, followed by the Oscars ceremony at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.

Want to experience the Oscars like never before?

Join us tonight for the 89th Oscars All Access Live Stream and Backstage Chat for an inside look at the red carpet, Oscars audience and backstage areas via 20 strategically place cameras. And for an even deeper Oscars experience, we offer this official second-screen live stream alongside our very own backstage chat with XFINITY Senior Entertainment Editor David Onda (that’s me) from the Oscars press room. I’ll have behind-the-scenes news, notes and live reactions from the winners as they answer questions from the press.

The Oscars All Access Live Stream and Backstage Chat begins tonight at  7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Click here to bookmark now.

Before I head down to the Dolby Theatre for the 89th Oscars, we have one more piece of business to take care of–which of nine movies will win Best Picture at tonight’s ceremony? The nominees are:

  • “Arrival”
  • “Fences”
  • “Hacksaw Ridge”
  • “Hell or High Water”
  • “Hidden Figures”
  • “La La Land”
  • “Lion”
  • “Manchester by the Sea”
  • “Moonlight”

If you had asked me in October which film was likely to win the 2017 Best Picture trophy, I would have told you at least half of these movies had a fighting chance at the big one. Now, as the chips have fallen throughout a competitive awards season, the field has narrowed considerably.

I don’t think “Arrival,” “Hacksaw Ridge,” “Hell or High Water” or “Lion” have any shot at winning. If I were to make a second round of cuts, I would say “Fences” and “Hidden Figures” don’t make the shortlist–however, in a less competitive year, either one of these films could be suitable winners. That leaves us with the three films that are, let’s face it, at the top of just about everyone’s list tonight.

What Could Win: If by some chance “La La Land” is upset in the earlier categories, maybe we’ll see a shocking upset by “Moonlight” or “Manchester by the Sea.” Unlikely, but these are all very good films.

What Should & Will Win: “La La Land.” The City of Stars will be shining bright for this one tonight.

I’ll see you all tonight at the Oscars!

Watch Oscar-nominated movies On DemandDownload your very own Oscars ballotGet more Oscars news, photos and video

The post David Onda’s Countdown to the 2017 Oscars: Which Film Will Win Best Picture? appeared first on Movies.





Latest Images