Interview: Writer Julian Breece Discusses Penning ‘Rustin’

There are so many ways that Rustin could have felt like homework. It could have been stuffy, overly mannered, and just a lecture. Instead, the film is lively, actually fun, and truly lets you understand who Bayard Rustin was. So, I was very interested in talking with co-writer Julian Breece about the movie. You can see my Colman Domingo chat about Rustin here, but today, it’s time to talk with Breece.

In my review of Rustin (here) out of the Telluride Film Festival, I had this to say, in part:

Director George C. Wolfe makes sure you never get caught up the generic biopic here. Working from a script by Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black, Wolfe gets you hyped up for political engagement. Of course, having that performance from Domingo goes a long way, but the writing and direction are right there with him. Plus, being only 99 minutes is clutch, as there’s no room for anything except the best bits. Kudos there for that choice.

Below, you can see my discussion with Breece. This was recorded while the actors were still on strike, so keep that in mind (despite posting after I put up Domingo earlier this week), but it doesn’t factor much into the conversation. I wanted to hear about how he made Rustin happen, and he doesn’t disappoint. With the flick hitting Netflix tomorrow, make sure you don’t miss it!

Here now is my interview with Rustin co-writer Julian Breece. Enjoy:

Rustin is in select theaters now and hits Netflix on Friday!