With a goal of making 鈥淲ashington Black鈥 as authentic as possible, the series鈥 producers devised an ambitious schedule that had actors telling the story around the world.
Ernest Kingsley Jr. plays the title character as an adult in "Washington Black."
鈥淣o one reads the book and听says, 鈥業t鈥檚 just going to be shot on a sound stage,鈥欌 says Executive Producer Kimberly Ann Harrison. 鈥淭hey know this is going to be an epic adventure around the world.鈥
Chronicling the life of an 11-year-old boy born on a Barbados sugar plantation, 鈥淲ashington Black鈥 follows him from slavery to freedom to personal victory as he encounters adults who try to encourage and thwart him on his journey.
It鈥檚 a massive tale based on the best-selling novel by Esi Edugyan. To play Black, series creator Selwyn Seyfu Hinds cast two actors 鈥 one younger, one older. To be sure they鈥檇 provide a seamless transition from one to another, 鈥渢hey had to make me believe,鈥 Hinds says. 鈥淭he scene for the older Wash was one that, done well, would make you cry.鈥
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Ernest Kingsley Jr. 鈥渆licited that emotion in almost everyone who watched it,鈥 he says. He got the elder role; Eddie Karanja was cast in the younger version.
Matching them, Hinds says, wasn鈥檛 difficult. The two 鈥渉ad truth and authenticity in their eyes.鈥
Eddie Karanja, left, plays Washington Black as a boy. He and his friend Titch (Tom Ellis) go on numerous adventures in the eight-part miniseries.
To foster that connection, Hinds let the two hang out and watch each other, 鈥渏ust to believe they could be the same person. Again, they found a natural connection and it worked.鈥
Because young Washington Black travels the globe with an inventor (played by Tom Ellis), the production needed a variety of vehicles. Thanks to an eager production designer, everything worked.
鈥淚 would not advise you to go try and fly on the Cloud Cutter, but everything else works,鈥 Hinds says. 鈥淚 told the production team, 鈥榓s much as we can, I need this stuff to be practical.鈥 And they took the chassis of an old tractor and built something that鈥檚 actually drive-able.鈥
Sterling K. Brown, who鈥檚 also a producer, was cast in a supporting role and 鈥渉as been joined at the hip from the beginning of this entire journey. He might have been the second person to read the book,鈥 Hinds says.
The 鈥淭his is Us鈥 star wasn鈥檛 considered for the leading role. Hinds, however, needed someone with his clout in the production. He pitched a character and Brown said, 鈥淲hatever鈥檚 best for the story. I don鈥檛 want to take away from lead.鈥 But Hinds made sure it would be in keeping with Washington Black鈥檚 journey.
Before filming began, Hinds and company had no idea how complex the shoot might be. 鈥淪ometimes you鈥檙e not afraid because you don鈥檛 know enough to be afraid,鈥 he says. 鈥淏eing surrounded by people who鈥檝e been doing 20, 30 years of television, no one had ever quite done something like this.鈥
Ernest Kingsley Jr. plays Washington Black in the miniseries based on the best-selling novel.
Now as it鈥檚 about to air, 鈥淲ashington Black鈥 has the ability to move a large audience.
鈥淚 want them to be inspired,鈥 says Harrison. 鈥淚 want them to dream harder, bigger and follow through with that dream the same way Washington did.鈥
While a sequel is always possible, the producers say they鈥檙e not ready to plan another eight-part epic.
鈥淐heck back in three months and see if I caught up on sleep,鈥 Hinds says. 鈥淚 want to recover from this one.鈥
鈥淲ashington Black鈥 premieres July 23 on Hulu.
