Interview: ‘American Fiction’ Star Jeffrey Wright on the Appeal of a Role Like This

American Fiction is the best role that Jeffrey Wright has ever had, and that’s really saying something. Over the years, he’s had so many interesting roles, often stealing the show in supporting parts. This film, however, gave him the rare leading role, which he turned into a career best performance. So, I was obviously excited to speak with him once again. You can view my previous American Fiction conversations with Cord Jefferson here and Tracee Ellis Ross here. Today, we wrap up the discussions with Wright, who I previously spoke to here for Asteroid City. Now, it’s American Fiction time..

In my review of the film (here), I had the following to say about Wright’s performance, leading the cast:

Jeffrey Wright leads a great ensemble and does career-best work, but he’s not alone in turning in a terrific performance. Erica Alexander, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Leslie Uggams all make the most of their supporting parts, with Ross especially making quite the impact, while Sterling K. Brown is excellent, playing against type. Wright is definitely the star, however, and he plays the role with a weightiness that makes the comedy even funnier, as well as the drama hit even harder. It’s the finest work he’s ever done, which is really saying something. He makes Monk a prickly yet lovable, while always complex, character.

Below, you can see my chat with Wright. I was very keen to hear about how and why this role spoke to him, as it has spoken to so many people in different ways. We have a good discussion about the many angles of it, while also making sure to focus on how he’s finally getting his flowers for this turn. He’s a lovely man, so it was a pleasure to talk with him once again. If you haven’t seen American Fiction yet, you should catch up with ASAP, so you can understand why Wright is on another level here.

Here now is my interview with American Fiction star Jeffrey Wright. Enjoy:

American Fiction is in theaters now!