Ep256 - Ethan Hawke & Mark Richard on Showtime’s ‘The Good Lord Bird’

In 2013, author James McBride published a remarkable book about Henry Shackleford, an enslaved person who united with John Brown and his abolitionist mission. The book was called 'The Good Lord Bird.' Producer Jeremy Gold (Sharp Objects) encouraged 'Hell on Wheels' screenwriter Mark Richard to read the book. “He put the book in my hands, and I read it in one sitting,” said Richard. Little did Richard know, Gold had also spoken to actor Ethan Hawke (Training Day, Before Sunrise) about the book, which he and his wife had also read in a single serving. Thanks to their mutual love for the book, a brunch meeting was set up and by 2020, the limited series his Showtime. In this interview, Hawke and Richard discuss their love for Sam Peckinpah, how to introduce a character like John Brown, the challenges of writing a tragicomedy, why you must be passionate about an adaptation, and what it means to play the fool. — Look for the print version of this interview on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and, if it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at the link below… Join the email list here: www.writerfieldnotes.com You can also now find us on Instagram: @CreativePrinciples — This episode is brought to you by Author Builder. Whether you are an experienced author with an established base of fans, or a new author looking to cultivate a following, Author Builder provides you an easy way to build a website, showcase and sell your book, and engage with your community. This all-in-one approach saves authors a ton of time and money, because you don’t have to worry about purchasing separate monthly plans for a website host, a storefront, an email list, and everything in between. Author Builder does all that for you, plus you can get multiple layout and theme options specifically designed with authors in mind. Visit www.AuthorBuilder.com to sign up for FREE today. — Also, if you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60-seconds and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!