First Images: "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"
Thursday, October 1, 2020 at 2:40PM by Nathaniel R
Look, it's the first images from Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, based on the August Wilson play of the same name. It's part of his Pittsburgh Cycle of 10 plays documenting the African American experience (with each of the ten plays set in different decades). Denzel Washington is planning to produce all 10 (2 down, 8 to go... how many more will Viola get to star in?). Ma Rainey's... is set in the 1920s and stars Viola Davis as the singer Ma Rainey and Chadwick Boseman as her trumpeter Levee (the two 'star' roles in the show) and involves a very heated recording session and fights therein. The costumes you see here are by the indefatigable four-time Oscar nominee Ann Roth, who is still doing great work regularly at 88 years of age...
Talk about longevity as an artist! (Here's the Best Costume Design Prediction Chart - freshly updated!)
We'll get to the Best Actress chart soon enough but here's one odd detail from past productions of this stage classic. Ma Rainey herself hasn't been an awards magnet role in the show! Theresa Merritt and Charles S Dutton were Tony nominated for those roles on Broadway in 1985 but neither of them won and it was only Dutton who picked up precursor prizes (Theatre World and Drama Desk). In the revival in 2003 Tony voters skipped both leads (Whoopi and Charles S Dutton again) and opted to nominate only Thomas Jefferson Byrd as "Toledo" the pianist (a role that will be playd in the screen version by Glynn Turman). In 2016 when the show was revived on the West End Sharon P Clarke and O.T. Fagbenie had the starring roles. The show won Best Revival at the Olivier Awards but received no acting nominations.
Sixty-six year old Broadway legend George C Wolfe is directing the movie. He's a Tony-favourite (24 nominations and 5 wins) but his onscreen work hasn't been as passionately received. Perhaps something stagey like this particularly contained story will help bring out his Broadway magic? He's been nominated for a directing Emmy once (his two tv telefilms/miniseries were Lackawanna Blues and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) but he's only made two regular movies previously (Nights in Rodanthe and You're Not You). How do you think this new film will fare at the Oscars?
Reader Comments (21)
Viola is a Jessica Lange case. That supporting Oscar was not enough.
If Charles S Dutton was nominated the first time he played the role, then I suspect he wouldn't have been eligible the second time. I know Glenn wasn't nominated in 2018 for Sunset given that she was a past winner, but I'm not sure if that holds true for nominees.
It also looks like the revival only ran for a two-three months, whereas the original ran for over 270 performance. I don't know a lot about how it was received, but Brantley called it "hollow" so that may have been the bigger problem.
Yes, Dutton wouldn't have been eligible the second time around.
I'm excited for this! I've never seen any of the plays but am just fascinated by the whole Cycle.
Joe G: correct. Other performers such as Yul Brynner, Rex Harrison and Lonette McKee have reprised roles they earned a Tony nomination for but were not eligible for the revival.
I’m most excited to see Viola have fun in a role! Love her to bits but she always plays those dramatic parts so it looks like she’s loosening up here and having fun!
I'm here for Chadwick Boseman's posthumous Oscar. And another *lead* nomination for Viola, please!
It will be stagey as you said but they will all be nominated because Liberal Americans have a bad conscience.
interestingly, theresa merritt [as ma rainey] was nominated as a featured actress at the tonys
mary alice won in featured for 'fences' but viola won in lead for the same role
which became supporting again at the oscars
let the category games begin
Posthumous acting Oscars are not common, but they can have an inevitability to them. And in this case, vote splitting (Chicago 7, Da 5 Bloods, Mank et al) would certainly contribute to the win.
@Morgan I couldn't agree more, I'm really excited to see Viola in this role. It'll be really bittersweet, given Boseman's passing (which still doesn't feel real to me), but I'm looking forward to seeing the film.
Viola and August Wilson. That's all.
@Morgan agreed, so excited to see Viola in a role like this! Probably not this year, but we need that lead Oscar (still think she could have won Lead for Fences and brought Denzel with her)
Viola has two Tonys for August Wilson plays. Imagine if she had two Oscars for August Wilson film adaptations! That would give awards nerds like me such statistic satisfaction.
(Also would give VD fans like me similar satisfaction)
Not really fan of the idea that actors need to win in lead even after supporting win if they are famous enough. And Viola has always been overrated. But this looks good and it would be nice if Chadwick got a nom (I don’t know if he needs to win however).
Hopefully you will put the prediction lists up again soon. I wonder how Ammonite women will do since I have not heard good reactions but everyone still keeps predicting them.
Chadwick has great film works behind him so will probably Heath Ledger himself to a win, unlike a Gandolfini missing for a deserving role for being a mainly tv star.
Congratulations Raja.....I mean Chadwick.
Seven Guitars is my favorite August Wilson play. I'm excited for this though!
I'm in love, i'm in love, i'm in love with.... :'(
Word cal roth. Motherf'in word.
I am curious who else could've played this role other than Viola... hmmm. Mo'Nique? She played Ma Rainey in Bessie!
I'm happy for Viola but I do hope other black actresses get the chance to shine in the future August Wilsons.
Idk why my other comment was never posted, but regardless...
As soon as I heard about this film, Chadwick had just passed, and I figured this would be his posthumous Oscar moment. A nomination at least, but I could totally see a Heath Ledger moment for him since he built up quite the filmography and industry respect in a short period of time.
And damn, I can't imagine Whoopi as Ma Rainey at all but I wish there was footage of that! Too bad she didn't get a Tony nom. I wish she still got good roles... ;( perhaps an Emmy for the upcoming Stephen King miniseries remake?
I'm not sure Viola makes the most sense for this character, but I'm happy that she continues to nab the juiciest parts.