Jeffrey Wright, Leslie Uggams, Sterling K. Brown, and Tracee Ellis Ross—these are just some of the high-caliber performers Cord Jefferson brought on for his feature debut, “American Fiction,” which he wrote and directed. The satirical film follows Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Wright), a frustrated writer who, unable to find a publisher interested in his work, pens a novel filled with mawkish Black stereotypes. To his chagrin, it becomes a sensational hit.
But long before “American Fiction” became a crowd-pleasing dramedy, it only existed on the page. (The film is an adaptation of Percival Everett’s 2001 novel “Erasure.”) Though Jefferson doesn’t have any previous directing credits, he’s an Emmy-winning TV writer who’s worked on acclaimed projects like NBC’s “The Good Place” as well as two critically acclaimed HBO limited series: “Station Eleven” and “Watchmen.”
For better or worse, the role of the director has become synonymous with authority; but Jefferson was determined to buck this stereotype from the moment he first stepped on set. Checking your hubris at the door is no easy feat, and it was only possible for the filmmaker thanks to years of therapy. Learning to drop his ego allowed him to be vulnerable with his collaborators.
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“I came in and told all the actors and all the department heads that I’ve never done this before,” Jefferson recalls. “Even if I had done this before, I hadn’t done this specific story, and I hadn’t worked with these specific characters; so we [needed] to find them together.”
While his own voice was present from the very beginning, his actors provided invaluable input. Though Jefferson had a clear idea of how Monk would dress, he welcomed Wright’s suggestions, which led to subtle but essential changes. The character’s shoes went from loafers to desert boots. His wristwatch, initially a Cartier Tank, became something much less expensive. The change signaled a guarded man who felt down on his luck.
“Oh, this is interesting,” Jefferson remembers thinking. “Now I’m in dialogue with the person who’s going to be playing this character about who this character is and about how his choice of footwear is going to shape [the film’s] perspective.”
BTS Cord Jefferson on the set of “American Fiction” Credit: Claire Folger
Point of view is built into the premise of “American Fiction.” Initially, we see characters like rival author Sintara Golden (Issa Rae) through Monk’s eyes: broad stereotypes to be looked down on. But as the movie progresses, they reveal hidden depths. Working with actors to walk that fine line requires a level of trust between director and performer.
Jefferson says he was able to achieve that by “asking people [questions] very directly, and then listening. I asked Issa to be a bit bigger when we first meet [Sintara]; I wanted to make sure I took the audience on this journey with [Monk].”
The filmmaker knows the importance of showing a character’s idiosyncrasies. “I think one of the interesting things about human beings is that we rarely say exactly what we mean,” he says.
Monk embodies this trait as a man whose tunnel vision prevents him from fully understanding those around him and speaking directly. In contrast to his character, Jefferson has gone to great lengths to be empathetic by fostering an environment of open communication and mutual understanding on set.
“I believe it was Paul Schrader who said that a script is not a work of art,” he says. “A script is an invitation to other people to make a work of art with you.”
This story originally appeared in the Dec. 28 issue of Backstage Magazine.