It stars an ensemble cast of Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Danielle Deadwyler, and Corey Hawkins.

However, Berniece, who lives in Pittsburgh with her young daughter Maretha and their uncle Doaker, refuses to part with the piano, seeing it as a sacred artifact of their family history and a reminder of their struggles.

Now dating local preacher Avery, Berniece is still estranged from Boy Willie after he and Lymon were involved in stealing wood that led to the death of her husband Crawley.

Boy Willie returns one last time to the Sutter farmland, now on public sale after failing to purchase it, and grasps the dirt like his father taught him before departing.

[4] Gail Bean, Jerrika Hinton, Stephan James, Malik J. Ali, Jay Peterson and Matrell Smith rounded out the cast in June 2023.

The website's consensus reads: "A Southern Gothic played at a ferocious key, The Piano Lesson brings August Wilson's words to vivid life with an outstanding ensemble.

[14] Zandra Odetunde for Time Out awarded 4 stars out of 5, praised the film and wrote: "The Piano Lesson strikes a perfect balance, showing us that the past isn’t just about trauma but is laced with moments of jubilance.

[15] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave it 3 out of 5 stars and wrote: "the ensemble cast work wonderfully and intuitively together; I loved the surges of emotion, and then the palate-cleansing moments of silence and calm.

"[19] Additionally, W included Deadwyler in their Best Performances Issue for 2025, with Lynn Hirschberg commending her nuanced exploration of "grief, tradition, and the weight of generational trauma.

"[20] In The Hollywood Reporter, Lovia Gyarkye highlighted Deadwyler’s immersive approach, writing that she "slips into her character’s skin with quiet ease" and uncovers a performance that is "often electric.

"[23] Similarly, Peter Travers of ABC News lauded Deadwyler’s mastery of subtle emotional expression, calling her performance "magnificent" for capturing "every nuance of feeling in Berniece.