Fences

Fences (2016)

Timing: 2:19 (139 min)

6.871/10
2547

6.896/10
24818

7.2/10
125000

All about film

Video 9

Photo 28

Actors and characters

Release date

2016-12-16

Country

Canada, United States

Production

Paramount, Scott Rudin Productions, Bron Studios, Escape Artists, MACRO

Genre

Drama

Budget

$24 000 000

Revenue

$64 414 761

Website

Director

Denzel Washington

Actors

Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Saniyya Sidney, Lesley Boone, Christopher Mele, Jason Silvis
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington, Todd Black, Dale Wells

Operator

Charlotte Bruus Christensen

Composer

Marcelo Zarvos

Artist

Audition

Victoria Thomas

Editing

Hughes Winborne
All team (76)

• The premiere of the play "Fences" took place on Broadway in 1987. The play won Tony Awards (presented annually for achievements in American theater) in the categories of "Best Play," "Best Actor" (James Earl Jones), and "Best Actress" (Mary Alice). In 2010, the production was revived, receiving Tony Awards for "Best Revival of a Play," "Best Actor" (Denzel Washington), and "Best Actress" (Viola Davis). The film adaptation featured all five adult actors from the 2010 production. Washington played the lead role and also directed the film.
• "Fences" is a 1983 play by August Wilson (1945-2005). It is set in 1950s America. "Fences" is the 6th part of the "Pittsburgh Cycle," consisting of 10 plays. In 1987, the play received the Pulitzer Prize.
• "Fences" was the first play by August Wilson (1945-2005) that he adapted for the screen.
• August Wilson stipulated that the film adaptation of his play be directed by an African American.
• Viola Davis's performance in the film "Fences" earned her a nomination in the "Best Supporting Actress" category, which sparked a wave of criticism. Director and actor Denzel Washington stated that he also disliked this, but it was the actress's own choice. Davis decided that she would have a better chance of winning in that category.
• When Paramount Studios acquired the rights to adapt the play in 1987, it was with Eddie Murphy in mind, as he wanted to move away from comedic roles and star in a "serious" film. Murphy was slated to play 17-year-old Cory, but in 1987, the actor was already ten years older than the character, and numerous delays in filming soon made him altogether unsuitable for the role due to his age.
• According to Denzel Washington, having performed the role in the stage production of "Fences" 114 times, directing the film adaptation was not a difficult task.
• August Wilson worked long and hard on the screenplay for a film adaptation of his play, but he did not live to finish it. In January 2016, the online magazine Deadline Hollywood reported that producer Scott Rudin had tasked playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner, a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner, with completing the screenplay. In December 2016, The New York Times reported that Kushner was credited in the film not as a screenwriter, but as a producer. At the time, this was the only film in which Kushner was credited as a producer.
• In 2017, August Wilson was posthumously nominated for an Academy Award in the category of "Best Adapted Screenplay".
• In the action film "Lila & Eve" (Charles Stone III, 2015), the phrase about Viola Davis's character having a "date with Denzel" is repeated several times. This refers to her staying home and watching films starring her favorite actor, Denzel Washington. In "Fences" (2016), Davis plays Washington's wife.
• The film was shot in Pittsburgh, August Wilson's hometown.
• The play “Fences” premiered on Broadway in 1987. The play won Tony Awards (presented annually for achievements in American theater) for “Best Play,” “Best Actor” (James Earl Jones), and “Best Actress” (Mary Alice). In 2010, the production was revived, receiving Tony Awards for “Best Revival of a Play,” “Best Actor” (Denzel Washington), and “Best Actress” (Viola Davis). All five adult actors who starred in the 2010 production played in the film adaptation. Washington starred in the leading role and directed the film.
• “Fences” is a 1983 play by August Wilson (1945-2005). It is set in 1950s America. “Fences” is the 6th part of the “Pittsburgh Cycle,” which consists of 10 plays. The play received a Pulitzer Prize in 1987.
• “Fences” was the first play by August Wilson (1945-2005) that he adapted for the screen.
• Viola Davis’s performance in “Fences” earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress, which sparked a wave of criticism. Director and actor Denzel Washington stated that he also disliked it, but that was the actress’s choice. Davis decided she would have a better chance of winning in that category.
• When Paramount Studios acquired the rights to film the play in 1987, it was with Eddie Murphy in mind, who wanted to move away from comedic roles and star in a “serious” film. Murphy was planned for the role of 17-year-old Cory, however, in 1987 the actor was already 10 years older than the character, and numerous delays in filming soon made him completely unsuitable for the role due to his age.
• According to Denzel Washington, after performing the role in the theatrical production of “Fences” 114 times, directing the film adaptation was not difficult.
• August Wilson worked long and hard on the screenplay for his play, but never finished it before his death. In January 2016, the online magazine Deadline Hollywood reported that producer Scott Rudin had tasked playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner, a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner, with completing the screenplay. In December 2016, The New York Times reported that Kushner was credited in the film not as a screenwriter, but as a producer. At that time, this was the only film in which Kushner was credited as a producer.
• In 2017, August Wilson was posthumously nominated for an Academy Award in the category of “Best Adapted Screenplay”.
• In the action film “Lila & Eve” (Charles Stone III, 2015), the phrase about Viola Davis’s character having a “date with Denzel” is repeated several times. This refers to her staying home and watching films starring her favorite actor, Denzel Washington. In “Fences” (2016), Davis plays Washington’s wife.