Samuel L. Jackson: Don't Call Denzel Washington's Sons 'Nepo' Babies and Here's Why (2025)

Samuel L. Jackson is all abuzz about his new film, “The Piano Lesson,” and for an extremely good reason. Not only does he get to work alongside his longtime friend Denzel Washington—who serves as producer on the film—but he’s also collaborating with Washington’s two sons: John David and Malcolm.

While John David acts alongside Jackson, Malcolm is behind the camera making his directorial debut with the film adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. The movie is a family affair to the fullest extent but don’t get it twisted—Washington’s kids and the roles they have aren’t a byproduct of their famous father and mother’s Hollywood legacy—they earned it, according to Jackson.

“Folks can call them ‘nepo kids’ if they want to, but they work very hard to become who they are. And yeah, if you’re a ‘nepo kid’ you deserve a shot,” Jackson explained to Extra. “If your folks are good at it, well, let’s see if you are too—and fortunately for them, they are. Hopefully that’s a thing that buoys other people that want to come through that whole kind of lineage thing.”

Jackson, John David, Malcolm would later sit down with The Root for our very own exclusive interview where they further discussed legacy, family and the spiritual ties in the film.

For the “Snakes on a Plane” star, who previously starred alongside John David, and costars Ray Fisher and Michael Potts in the 2022 Broadway revival of the play, reuniting with them—as well as welcoming in new faces to the family like Danielle Deadwyler and Corey Hawkins—brought fresh feelings of positivity.

“We laugh a lot, we don’t just show up and be sad all day. We laugh a lot, so there’s always some joy and interesting thing happening during the day that carries us through,” he told The Root.

For Malcom, he expressed the gratitude he felt for both his family’s personal dedication to honoring Wilson’s work and being the one to carry the mantle of the Washington name and artistic excellence:

We are one of many families that continue to go back to the well of August Wilson and find nourishment in it. It’s a wonderful lineage that he’s created and crafted with his words and I’m just happy and honored to work within that space...I’m a part of a much larger legacy and I get a chance to write it everyday. And tell the story of those who came before me and tell the story in my actions on a day-to-day basis.

As far as John David is concerned, he told The Root he’s grateful to be a part of the film and hopes its themes of legacy, resilience and spirituality translates beyond his own family and the lived experiences of Black folks and connects with audiences all over.

“Even thought it’s an African-American story, it’s way bigger than that. The spirituality of that was what was the connectivity. Obviously that spirituality is rooted out of survival, out of a desperate need to survive through the slave trade,” Washington explained. “But the upliftment and spirituality of people, of self, of our community, that translates through cinema and I think that was wonderful.

“The Piano Lesson” is in theaters now and hits Netflix on Nov. 22.