Christopher Nolan Casts ‘BlacKkKlansman’s John David Washington In His Next Event Film
Christopher Nolan made his name in Hollywood with the comic book adaptation of The Dark Knight Trilogy. Since then, he has become one of the most prestigious writer-director-producers in the industry, and working with him is coveted by many actors. A new Variety exclusive confirms that Nolan’s next leading man will be none other than BlacKkKlansman star John David Washington.
Nolan most recently received an Oscar nomination for his last film, Dunkirk, which saw to update and revolutionize the way that World War epics are seen and experienced on the big screen, with many scenes shot in IMAX. Nolan was first put on the map with his completely innovative style of reverse filmmaking in the Guy Pierce starring Memento. The Dark Knight trilogy brought him to the mainstream where he’s stayed since, solidifying his relationship with the Warner Bros. studio, as well as achieving critical and commercial successes with movies such as Inception, The Prestige, and Interstellar. The filmmaker has become synonymous with quality cinema and is a huge proponent of the film experience.
John David Washington’s first mainstream film role was the recently Oscar-winning BlacKkKlansman directed by Spike Lee. Washington broke out onto the scene with Dwayne The Rock Johnson’s HBO hit, Ballers. Playing a football star, Washington’s performance was appreciated by critics, leading to many more opportunities. His performance in BlacKkKlansman earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Drama Actor.
While Nolan’s new project was somewhat announced before, in a report from The Hollywood Reporter, the details of the project were kept completely under wraps, as is the case with most Nolan films. The movie was described as an action film which looks to be an event blockbuster. Not a lot is known about the film, however, the Variety report confirms that Nolan has tapped Washington for the lead role.
Washington shares his name with another famous actor, his own father, Oscar-winning Denzel Washington. But in an interview with IndieWire, the younger Washington makes it clear that he wants to forge his own path.
“I was there because of me and not because of, you know, nepotism. Spike was like a little kid on set, on a daily basis. I’m still trying to find the actor I want to be, but I know what kind of talent I want to be around.”
John David Washington can be seen in The Old Man And The Gun, as well as the upcoming season 5 of HBO’s Ballers, which does not have a release date as of yet.
