Washington

For Sterling K. Brown, Hulu’s ‘Washington Black’ seeks Black joy, not pain

Published

8 months ago

July 18, 2025

For Sterling K. Brown, Hulu’s ‘Washington Black’ seeks Black joy, not pain

Hulu Original Series “Washington Black” stars Ernest Kingsley Junior and Sterling K. Brown.

James Pardon/Disney

“Your legacy isn’t just the work that you do, it’s the opportunities that you create for other people.” —Sterling K. Brown.

For Sterling K. Brown, part of the appeal of producing and starring in Hulu’s Washington Black (July 23) was mentoring Ernest Kingsley Jr., the young actor playing the title character. “If I’m in a position where I can help somebody get an opportunity to do it, that means a lot to me, because your legacy isn’t just the work that you do, it’s the opportunities that you create for other people,” Brown said. Based on the bestselling novel, Kingsley plays George Washington “Wash” Black, a young boy who escapes slavery and, through his scientific mind, sets off an unexpected adventure. Brown plays Medwin, whose life intersects with Wash. “It seems most Black stories that are for mainstream consumption have to do with Black pain, have to do with Black trauma,” Brown said. “So I thought, how awesome would it be to take this historical context but to still illuminate, [and] highlight, joy, hope, faith, love, etc.” And for Kingsley, the story has broad appeal—”that universal story of us going through that harrowing narrative and pain in our past and triumphing over it.”

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Editor’s Note: This conversation has been edited and condensed for publication.

Sterling, you can always take top billing, but for this project you’re supporting and producing. What about this inspired you to want to make it?

Sterling K. Brown: It was the central character. It was a young boy who finds himself in the midst of slavery, but through the power of his imagination, of his hope, of his faith, is able to transcend his circumstances. And it’s also the community that protected his dreams, right? Recognizing the power and importance of dreamers and how dreaming is contagious. I think that’s why, oftentimes dreamers are sort of snuffed out and taken out, and why people need to protect them, because they recognize that, like so many of us, [they] are just trying to survive, or just trying to make it from day to day to day, until you come into the presence of a dreamer, and they say life is bigger than what you can currently imagine. And if you follow me, I can show you something bigger. That’s who Washington is, and I’ve never seen that in the historical context of slavery, not allowing slavery to define who he is as a person, but allowing his creativity to be fully manifested and ultimately be like this brilliant creator, the seeker of love and beauty everywhere that he goes, and bringing that contagion with him.

Pursued by Willard, Wash faces a life-altering choice. Meanwhile, tensions are on the rise between Tanna and McGee and Young Wash and Titch’s Arctic journey, forces Young Wash to forge his own path forward. From…

Disney/Chris Reardon

That’s one of the things that I think I was so pleasantly moved by the story is that so often, when it comes to depictions of slavery in film and television, joy and hope are often not necessarily part of the story. And those stories are very important to tell. But I loved the aspect of hope that this story has.

Brown: It was very important to me. Interesting enough, this project came to me before American Fiction. But American Fiction actually talks a lot about how it seems most of Black stories that are for mainstream consumption have to do with Black pain, have to do with Black trauma, right? So I thought, how awesome would it be to take this historical context but to still illuminate [and] highlight, joy, hope, faith, love, etc.

And Ernest, taking on this role, the title role, that’s a lot this early in your career. Did you feel the pressure of the title role? And how did you go about finding your version of Washington?

Ernest Kingsley Jr.: Of course. Look, I did feel some pressure. It was quickly dissipated by the cast around me, the community around me, and someone like Sterling as well, who’s been such a mentor and a friend and a brother. He definitely was showing me the ropes all along. I was really being supported by the talent and the love and care by our cast and crew. And in terms of research, I guess to start off with, definitely reading the book. The show kind of branches off from it. Reading the book was a great foundation for me, just to kind of initially get into the world of Washington Black and the epicness and the journey and the story, and then obviously, going deeper into other things and the time period. But it was definitely the book that launched me into it.

WASHINGTON BLACK – “St. George and the Dragon” – Young Wash and Titch evade capture, finding allies, threats, and shocking truths about Titch’s family. In Halifax, Tanna’s attempt to derail her engagement complicates her ties…

Disney/Chris Reardon

Even though this is a work of fiction, it does really illuminate part of Black history that not a lot of people know much about. Black pirates, for example. Was there any part of this history that you learned something from?

Brown: I love the Dahomey, which also is echoed in [The] Woman King. I loved the sort of throughline of the Afro Nova Scotian community that we’ve discovered in Halifax, right? And I’ve worked in Charleston, South Carolina, on a TV show called Army Wives, for a long time and the Gullah accent [also called Geechee] I found very peculiarly in Halifax, Nova Scotia. And I was like, “You guys sound like you’re from South Carolina.” “No, we don’t sound like we’re from South Carolina. We’re from up here.” And I’m like, “Whoa, what are you talking about, man?” And it’s sort of like the accent that Medwin uses, because I thought that 50 percent of all Africans that entered into the United States came through a port in South Carolina called Sullivan’s Island, right? And so for me to hear that accent when I went to Halifax was this incredible moment, like, “Oh, wow. We really did make it.” This underground railroad is not something that I just heard about. I see the evidence of it here in Nova Scotia while we’re shooting on location. It was a magical moment for me.

And Ernest, what about you? Did you learn anything about this history?

Kingsley: I think Sterling kind of touched on it, the Afro Nova Scotia community. Obviously, we see how Medwin has really upheld and built that community at the time, but also just going there and filming and realizing that they’d been there for nearly seven generations. And just seeing the community they’ve built and how close-knit and tight they are, against all odds, against when they first arrived there, all those generations ago, they were given kind of terrible land, the unfertile land, and what they built from that, what they did, and they’re still there in abundance. Just getting introduced to that kind of culture and community was really cool.

There are also aspects of the characters in this that we so often don’t see, particularly Black characters in science, space, flying, all of those things. Was it important to you for these characters to be doing things that, historically in entertainment, we’ve often only seen white characters do.

Brown: Man, you’re making my heart just crack open in the most beautiful way possible, because there is an active erasure of our history going on in the United States right now. To make it sound as if we just didn’t exist. And there is no American history without Black history. And there’s also a de-emphasis of our history of creativity, of innovation, of invention, right? And so, in order to put that on the screen, hopefully people will reverse engineer and be like, “You know what? I know it’s a work of historical fiction, but what is the history of Black entrepreneurship, invention, creativity?” Because there’s so much that we’ve done, but that’s not highlighted for such a long time, especially as a young person growing up in the States, the idea of being smart and being cool was sort of seen as an anathema. They didn’t cross over with each other, especially in the Black community, actively putting something on screen that shows a very, very cool, passionate, loving man who’s so smart, who’s so imaginative, who’s so creative.

I had a professor tell me once that Black history is American history, you can’t really separate the two. But Ernest, for you, as someone who isn’t American yet you’re telling this uniquely American story, what was it like for you processing how this story is told?

Kingsley: To be really honest, it’s quite like universal in terms of the Black, British and American [experiences]. I feel like that universal story of us going through that harrowing narrative and pain in our past and triumphing over it. And also, just the thing of us not getting the credit for our inventions and beautiful things we’ve done spans across, unfortunately, history across the world. And so it was touching the core of the experience that is universal for us. And I think the thing about seeing this Black boy and him getting the visibility—obviously his credit is stolen, but like the visibility—just the narrative and seeing him build this invention, build this thing with his creativity. There’s something about being seen and seeing that on a screen, as opposed to—like you were saying—you see a very common narrative of certain people do certain things, we don’t see Black people in sci-fi, but you see that in the story. And it’s like, that’s evidence, and that’s permission. So, yeah, it was really cool.

To that, what is really powerful about Washington’s experience is every time he looks to the sky and hopes or dreams. The power of the sky and stars in Black history, in spirituals, in the work of Harriet Tubman, it’s really powerful.

Brown: It does make sense, right? Because if you look just in your immediate circumstances, you may just see fields and places where you’ve labored throughout the day. And so the escape is the sky, right? Like sky is the limit, sky is the possibility, because it doesn’t represent anything that’s immediately around you. It’s like, at least there’s some expanse, there’s space, there’s distance, possibility exists up here. Reality is here [on land], possibility is there, right? Even with regards to Wash and the water, he’s never gone into the ocean and didn’t know how to swim, and then ultimately, my man had to throw you into the water, because the water also represents possibility. It’s the unexplored, right? We’ve explored this part. Where can I go to be free, where can I go to be fully realized, right? And then you have a young boy who goes into the water and learns how to fly.

Sterling, it seems like you’ve had one big project after another these past few years, picking up an Oscar nomination along the way. Do you not like taking breaks? And what is it that makes you want to keep producing projects like this?

Brown: Thank you. That’s very kind. There is a part of you that feels like you want to strike while the iron is hot. There is a part of you that feels like, “Oh, you know what? If you don’t do something, then maybe they’ll forget about you.” Easy come, easy go sort of thing. I do take breaks. Like, I still assistant coach my son’s NFL flag football team. I see my other son play soccer all the time. I take little breaks for myself, but I try to structure it in such a way [that] the TV show that I get a chance to do in the states keeps me at home for about half the year, and then I have the other half a year to play around with. And it’s been a good formula for me, because my family knows where I am most of the time, and then I still have space to sort of scratch the creative itch inside of me, to just do something different. Variety is the spice of life, and I’m so fortunate H. Alan, in an industry that is undergoing a massive contraction; to be busy and people want to work with me that I feel like I should take advantage of this, because not a lot of people are having these opportunities. It’s a blessing.

WASHINGTON BLACK – “If You See My Mama, Whisper Her This…” – In Morocco, Wash reunites with Titch and uncovers his father’s true legacy. With Tanna, he journeys to his homeland on the Wind Sailer….

Disney/James Van Evers

What does it mean for you to mentor someone like Ernest? Considering that you could have easily produced a project for yourself in the title role.

Brown: Sometimes you see people try to make that part their part. I was like, “No, it’s not my part.” But if I’m in a position where I can help somebody, where it is their part, get an opportunity to do it, that means a lot to me, because your legacy isn’t just the work that you do, it’s the opportunities that you create for other people, and hopefully just make it a little bit easier. That’s all you’re trying to do. The people that come behind you, you want it to be just a little bit easier, right? I stand on the shoulders of Denzel [Washington], who stands on James Earl [Jones], who stands on Paul Robeson, like there is a legacy here of performance, and each one of those dudes made it a little bit easier for me. And hopefully I get a chance to do the same.

And for you, Ernest, it’s so rare for someone your age to have this kind of mentorship. What is it like for you to have this support?

Kingsley: I don’t think there’s enough words that I could use to describe the level of gratitude. The level of support and love and care that Sterling has poured into me from when I was 21—I’m 24 now—has been second to none. The last three years, he’s been nothing but support, like a pillar. We’ve seen how this industry can be, especially with the strikes and stuff, and it’s not lost on me how rare it is to have that kind of support system with a star that Sterling is a gift, it’s an absolute blessing. I’m really grateful.

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Related Topics:Disney Ernest Kingsley Jr.Featured Hulu Parting Shot Parting Shot Podcast Sterling K. Brown Washington Black

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Washington

Utah Starts Road Trip with Win in Washington | Utah Mammoth

Published

11 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Utah Starts Road Trip with Win in Washington | Utah Mammoth

Both of Utah’s power play units scored in the win. Sergachev scored his 10^th goal of the season on the power play 13 and a half minutes into the first period. Peterka scored his 21^st of the season, on the man-advantage, in the final two minutes of the middle frame.

Peterka has three power play goals in the 2025-26 campaign while Sergachev has matched a career-high with five power play goals this season. Overall, Utah’s power play has scored six goals in the last six games. That output matches the Mammoth’s total from their previous 18 games (per Mammoth PR). Tourigny discussed what’s changed with the team’s performance in recent games.

“(The) puck gets in,” Tourigny laughed. “But, no, I think there’s a number of things. The most important thing is we’re aggressive. We’re attacking.

“…If you look at our goal, the first one, it’s a direct play to the net and then on the loose puck recovery we take a shot with traffic and we score,” Tourigny continued. “On the second one, it’s a slot pass, a great shot by (Peterka). I think we had that attack mindset.”

Guenther, who is on the Mammoth’s top power play unit, agreed with Tourigny’s assessment of attacking more.

“I think just attacking, less predictable,” Guenther explained. “Shooting it more, I think (it is) just work really. Trying to play like a 5-on-5 mindset but on the (power play).”

The Mammoth made several line changes for tonight’s game and the new lines started to find chemistry, despite it being the first game with these changes.

“I like them,” Tourigny said of the changes. “Obviously (Guenther) got a goal, but Cooley’s line was really good. I was looking at the expected goals at the end, I think they were above 90%. So that’s pretty, pretty awesome. Then I think (Barrett Hayton’s) line worked really hard. They’re heavy on pucks and they play well defensively. I did like (Michael Carcone’s) line in (the) previous three games, and I did like them again tonight.”

When Washington pushed back with a power play goal and multiple close chances in the third period, Utah fought hard against the momentum swing to secure the win.

“I thought we did a pretty good job,” Keller explained. “Weathering the storm as much as we could. They’re a great veteran team. They made it hard on us. They pressured us all over the ice, but I was proud of the way we fought there towards the end.”

Utah’s bench was positive and calm throughout the game, especially late in the third. This helped the Mammoth through the momentum swings. Keller, who had two assists in the win, was one of the key voices for the Mammoth.

“He’s one of the guys who was really positive on the bench,” Tourigny explained. “(All the players) were but (Keller) was really vocal. He was really good energy on the bench. So that was really good.”

Additional Notes from Tonight (per Mammoth PR)

Guenther had two points in the win (1G, 1A) and the forward has earned a team-high nine points (5G, 4A) through six road games in 2026. He has become the third Mammoth skater to reach the 50-point mark this season (28G, 23A) and established a new career-high in goals.

Sergachev has 18 power play points this season (5G, 13A) and is tied with Keller for the team lead this season.

Keller has recorded multiple primary assists in a game for the seventh time this season and the 27^th time in his NHL career. He has now tallied multiple points in four of his last six contests (2G, 8A), with three multi-assist outings over that span.

The Mammoth continue their five-game road trip in Philadelphia on Thursday night. Game time is 5 p.m. MT and available to watch on Mammoth+ and Utah16.

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Washington

Commanders 2026 Mock Draft Madness 5.0

Published

23 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of the team.

In anticipation of the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held April 23 – 25 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, here’s a compilation of various league experts’ predictions about what the Washington Commanders will do with the No. 7 overall pick. Check back weekly until the draft for more updates.

Expert: Nate Davis, USA Today

Selection: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (March 2)

Analysis: Is he the best defender in this draft? Arguably. Can he play exceptionally in the slot, box or center field? Yep. And Washington could need a leader who can make plays behind the line given the potential departure of LB Bobby Wagner, who will be 36 next season, in free agency.

Expert: Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report

Selection: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (March 2)

Analysis: At Miami last season, he was easily one of the top two or three players in all of college football. He has explosive power and quickness to work up and down the line of scrimmage. His play is everything a team wants in a high first-round selection.

Expert: Jordan Reid, ESPN

Selection: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (March 3)

Analysis: Downs is one of the smartest football players I’ve ever studied. His football IQ, versatility on the back end and sure tackling ability make him a worthy selection at this spot even though a safety hasn’t been drafted in the top 10 since 2017 (Jamal Adams). Washington gave up a lot of explosive passing plays last season, with opponents averaging 8.1 yards per attempt (third worst in the NFL). The Commanders also had a mere eight interceptions in 2025, which was the fourth worst in the league. Downs could help them improve in both areas.

Expert: Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Selection: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (March 2)

Analysis: This pick would fade the historical norm for edge defenders with shorter arms, but Bain can rush the passer and is a block destructor against the run. Just a damn-good football player.

Expert: Jaime Eisner, The Draft Network

Selection: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State (March 2)

Analysis: Sonny Styles is the kind of dynamic player the Commanders desperately need on the second level. He offers a rare combination of energy, versatility, and pass-rush ability. The fact that he’s already excelled as the green dot for Ohio State proves he has the leadership and high football IQ to be an instant starter and the commander of the Washington defense. Styles wowed with his measurables and athleticism at the NFL Combine.

Expert: Nate Tice and Charles McDonald

Selection: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech (March 2)

Analysis: As tempting as it will be to add an offensive player of some kind here, with tasty options at offensive line, wide receiver, tight end and running back, the Commanders instead add firepower to a defense that has to get faster, younger and just straight up better. Bailey is an explosive pass rusher who is constantly attacking offensive tackles. He will never be a strong run defender, but he has long arms (measured at 33 ¾ inches at the combine) and has improved in that area. Bailey is the exact type of talent injection this defense needs.

Expert: Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports

Selection: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State (March 2)

Analysis: Could Reese fall to No. 7? It seems like a long shot, but if the Bills trade up for a WR, things can get interesting quickly. This is a best-case scenario for the Commanders, who have to upgrade their pass rush.

Expert: Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus

Selection: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami (March 2)

Analysis: Bain measured in with short arms (sub-31 inches), but we already knew that would happen. That doesn’t change his tape or the fact that he is one of the top three-down defensive linemen in the class. He would immediately be the biggest difference maker on the Commanders’ defensive line after racking up the most pressures (83) in college football this past season.

Expert: Henry McKenna, FOX Sports

Selection: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State (Feb. 26)

Analysis: Dan Quinn was in Dallas when the Cowboys had the inspired idea to convert Micah Parsons into a pass-rusher. Can Quinn do it again with Reese?

Expert: Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News

Selection: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech (March 2)

Analysis: The Commanders should be prepared to jump on Bailey should he fall here after his freakish athletic profile was on display at the Combine. Dan Quinn needs this level of dynamic pass rusher who also has rare dropback coverage skills outside.

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Washington

Tulip Day Washington draws buzz as sign-up site goes down

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

WASHINGTON – Coming up this month, spring’s most colorful new event: Tulip Day Washington.

What we know:

On March 15, 2026, Tulip Day Washington will transform DC’s National Mall into a vibrant tulip-picking garden beautiful views of U.S. Capitol

This one-day event will take place from 11:15 AM – 4:15 PM, offering a floral showcase of approximately 150,000 tulips; visitors are invited to pick their choice of 10 tulips for free upon arrival.

Dig deeper:

The registration site for Tulip Day is currently down, showing users “This site is currently unavailable. If you’re the owner of this website, please contact your hosting provider to get this resolved.”

Users on social media say the event may be sold out.

Check tulipday.eu for updates.

The backstory:

The event is organized by the Embassy of the Netherlands and Royal Anthos, a Dutch trade association, in honor of America’s 250th birthday. The display of tulips will be in the shape of the number 250.

The bulbs come from the Netherlands, but are being grown in Virginia and New Jersey.

These won’t be the first tulips on the National Mall, however. The Floral Library, also known as the Tulip Library, features 93 beds of flowers near the Tidal Basin. The Floral Library was established in 1969, and is maintained by the National Park Services. These flowers, though, are to be enjoyed only – not to be picked.

Things To Do in the DMVNewsWashington, D.C.

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