Hulu’sWashington Blackis a story of perseverance in the face of a challenging world. Based on the book of the same name, the eight-episode Hulu miniseries follows the life of George Washington ‘Wash’ Black. Raised as a slave before eventually running away to take his freedom, the show splits its attention between Wash’s childhood and his adult years. Style aside, the subject matter creates an inherently tricky challenge. The series doesn’t flinch away fromthe horrors of slavery, there is still wonder and joy to be found in the world it explores.
That enduring spirit was a big part of whyWashington Blackcaught the attention ofSterling K. Brown, who quickly teamed up with creatives like Selwyn Seyfu Hinds and Kim Harrison to bring the story to life. During an interview withScreenRant, some of the stars and creatives behindWashington Blacksat downbefore its Hulu premiereto discuss the importance of reflecting real life, the surprising moralities of their characters, and never losing sight of the true wonders of the world.
Bringing The 19th Century To Life In Washington Black
“That’s Not Something That Comes Around Every Day”
Washington Blackis a tight mini-series that uses an eight-episode run time to expand on the adventures of Wash, blending a wonderous tone with the realities of history. “We always knew this would be a limited series,” executive producer Selwyn Seyfu Hinds explained. “We knew that we would tell the arc of the story in the book. One of the things that drew me in is that my family is from Barbados, like Wash is. There was an instant realization of, can I tell a story that means so much personally to who I am…That’s not something that comes around every day.”
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” executive producer Kim Harrison noted. “The story of a young enslaved boy who, during that time, did something that no one dared do. He dared to dream. He dreamed really big. He had really big dreams. I had never seen anything like this.After reading the book, I was like, “This is epic.“To see how this takes place, it takes us all over the world. It is this epic adventure, and I definitely needed to be part of it.”
The Washington Black Cast Was Ready To Dive Into The Time Period(s)
“You Have To Really Experience It To The Max”
Getting to step into the world was a thrill for the cast, especially Iola Evans. Evans plays Tanna Goff, a young woman who ends up forming a bond with Ernest Kingsley Jr.’s Wash while dealing with the advances ofEdward Bluemel’sBilly McGee. “I love doing my research,” Evans explained. “I really like researching the time period, especially the customs for women. Tanner is someone who is, at the start of the show, really feeling the pressure of having to appear a certain way in a certain society.”
Ernest Kingsley Jr, who plays the grown version of Wash, agreed with Evans' approach to adapting the book and history. “I definitely read the book, and the screenplay is different. It goes in a way that’s kind of transcended… researching into the time periods and things around that, it’s just really important to dive into it so that when I get up to date,there’s a world built for me.“By contrast, Edward Bluemel admitted that he hadn’t been as committed to the research as his co-stars.
“I know this sounds like I’m excusing myself out of work, but when I focus too much on research I can get very bogged down. I rely on practical things. I love the way the period costumes make you feel. I feel like they completely change the way that you move, like Billy does from time to time. If you walk with a cane or have a hat that keeps your neck very straight,I think you suddenly find yourself acting and behaving in a really different way.”
Eddie Karanja plays the young version of Wash, and was far more focused on finding the emotional core of the character. He described his approach to Wash’s arc relied on responding “each experience Wash is having, you have to really experience it to the max.If he’s happy, let him be happy. If he’s sad, we have to really sit in that for a while.”
The Wonderful Surprises Of Washington Black
“It’s Always Changing And Evolving”
Washington Black’s cast and creatives found plenty to love during the production of the show, along with plenty of surprises amid the wonders and tragedies of the storyline. Kingsley explained that “I think we need [a show like this] in a world and a time that is filled with so much pain and difficulty.I feel like wonder is still prevalent, and should still be prevalent. I think finding wonder in the world that seems very broken and arduous, finding wonder in that and envisioning a better dream for yourself, is how growth happens.”
Reflecting on the biggest surprises they discovered for their characters, Bluemel noted that “I think Billy does fluctuate between good and bad, in a way that was really exciting to portray. I think I was I discovered when we started filming. As we continued, my opinion of him changed. There were times when what I learned was that you can’t go into something being like ‘this person is a hero or a villain’. There were scenes where I was like, ‘he’s horrible.’ Or there are scenes where I’m like, ‘that’s real kindness.’ That was something I learned about him during filming.”
“Wash is a risk taker,” Kingsley said. “I didn’t fully grasp how much of a risk taker he was. In the face of adversity, in the face of all these options that could end in horror — someone could see you, someone could spot you. But he’s cool. He’s like, I’m going to follow my heart. That’s incredible. I think that’s a testament ot the kind of person he is, and the kind of person I want to be.” With a chuckle Evans explained that “there wasn’t one particular massive surprise, but like a million small ones. It’s always changing and evolving.”
“The level of family that the cast developed… that made me ecstatic.”
That evolution was what Eddie loved most about the character, with the young actor citing “how vulnerable [Wash] was and and okay with expressing emotion. When I read the script, it wasn’t necessarily the first thing that came to mind. On set,it always seemed like the best choice. At times, it was the only choice. The only choice was to really experience it fully and just bask in it.“That embrace of the emotion was one of the key things that Hinds appreciated about the story and truly loved about what the cast brought to the story.
“The level of family that the cast developed… that made me ecstatic. This happens in productions to varying degrees, but not like this. There was no drama on set. Everyone bought into the journey that they were taking, everyone took care of everyone else. Tom Ellis treated Eddie like he was a member of the family. Those two became their own sort of twosome. Sterlina did the same with Iola and Ernest. All the actors bought into a sense of mission, and bought into the emotional drive of the show.”
“They protected each other in their work,“Harrison recalled. “They protected the characters and really challenged themselves and each other. I found that it just helped the writing. It was great to see how they protected the character that they were playing. The questions and challenges they would come to really helped elevate the piece.”
