In a relatively short time, John David Washington went from the newcomer starring in “BlacKkKlansman” to one of the biggest actors on the planet thanks to films like “Tenet” and the forthcoming “Malcolm & Marie,” which might land him an Oscar-nomination. So, you would have to imagine that the film world is opening up to Washington in a big, big way, and the actor knows the filmmakers he would love to collaborate with next.
Speaking to Variety about the aforementioned “Malcolm & Marie,” Washington was asked the question about which filmmakers he’d like to work with. As someone that has already worked for heavyweights such as Spike Lee, Christopher Nolan, and (in production with) David O. Russell, it’s clear that Washington is gaining the attention of some of the biggest filmmakers around. So, who’s next?
Washington replied, simply, “PTA. Paul Thomas Anderson, all the way. And Barry Jenkins, whose name comes up in [‘Malcolm & Marie’]. I’m ready.”
Obviously, there’s probably no shortage of actors that would kill to work with Paul Thomas Anderson and Barry Jenkins. Anderson has been around for decades, releasing award-winning films every few years, cementing his status as one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of the past 25 years. Jenkins, on the other hand, is relatively new to the directing game, but he’s already staked a claim as one of the best directors around thanks to his Best Picture win for “Moonlight” and the acclaim he’s received from his latest feature, “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
And Washington does bring up Jenkins’ name quite a bit in “Malcolm & Marie,” so you have to assume that the filmmaker will take notice when that feature hits Netflix on February 5.