Denzel Washington and author Dana Canedy on how they got the A Journal for Jordan love story right

Director Denzel Washington likes to echo some feedback the head of Sony Pictures, Tom Rothman, shared with him to help describe his new film A Journal for Jordan. "We can't hide what's coming. The audience knows what the characters don't know," the Oscar winner tells EW, "so that makes everything more important."

An adaptation of Dana Canedy's memoir of the same name, about her romance with First Sergeant Charles Monroe King, and the journal full of wisdom he left for their newborn son Jordan, serves as another reminder to viewers "that time is precious," says the filmmaker.

"This is a beautiful love story about these young people. It's young love, and I just am happy to be a part of that," adds Washington.

Read on to hear the director and Canedy explain how the film has been a long time coming, and the advice they gave actors Michael B. Jordan and Chanté Adams as they were playing Charles and Dana.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Dana, I've seen you say that you agreed to allow Denzel to adapt your memoir because you all connected on things like your faith, but Denzel, why did you want to make this film? What drew you to this story?

DENZEL WASHINGTON: My producing partner Todd Black and Dana linked up about 15 years ago now, and he bought the rights. He shared it with me maybe 12 years ago, and it's been a process of just developing the material and getting it to a place where we felt comfortable. Todd and Virgil Williams delivered a script in 2018 for me to read, and I read it, and I wasn't planning on directing the film, but I asked if I could — I guess I asked myself.

DANA CANEDY: [Laughs] I was wondering, who do you ask?

WASHINGTON: Yeah I asked if I could, and here we are.

Dana, how involved were you in making the film? Because with authors, it can range from them being on set all the time, all the way to them being like "My baby is yours now."

CANEDY: I felt so grateful that Denzel and Michael and Chanté called on me throughout the process, as well as Virgil Williams, even going over the script. So I think because of that, you see in these performances that they really captured who we are as people, and the love that we shared.

Was that creative collaboration with Dana something you wanted as well, Denzel?

WASHINGTON: Yeah, I've done, I don't know, 10 pictures about real people, and nine out of the 10 times you don't have the person there. You find out about them from other people. So for me, yes. Obviously for Chanté and Michael to get it from the horse's mouth as it were, that's what you want.

As you mentioned, you all have been working on this film for a long time, even before Michael and Chanté were leading films. How did you all figure out casting? Was this a situation where the right actors came at the right time, and were the final piece to the puzzle?

WASHINGTON: Well, Michael's been connected for about eight years. It was a matter of scheduling. Once we had a script, and once we knew we were going, then we had to find Dana. I know that I only need one, and I know it when I see it. And when Chanté walked in, I knew it. Their chemistry was just so great. And she's a beast, she's got the chops, the skillset, the heart, the innocence, she's unknown. And here she comes. It's her turn. She's a strong actress, now on her way to Broadway.

Dana, what were your conversations with Chanté like while making this film?

CANEDY: She asked a lot of questions, which told me that she was taking this seriously. And then as our relationship developed, she said "I just wanna get this right for you. I wanna make sure I do the story justice." And because I knew she was bringing both her talent and her heart, and she was praying on it, I told her "At some point you have to stop worrying about me. I trust you, make it your own now." And she did.

One element of romance movies, especially Black romance movies, that tends to shine through is the soundtrack. And this film has a lot of great music moments like Dana jamming to "All Around the World" in the car. How did you all figure out what music to use? Dana, did you give Denzel a playlist for inspiration?

CANEDY: I did love my Lisa Stansfield back in the day, but the rest of the music was all Denzel. But it was a reflection of the old man music Charles used to listen to. Oh my gosh.

WASHINGTON: And I wanted to use it as a tool to help us identify time, [thinking of] when those songs came out. And then it's a beautiful button obviously, with the boy then listening to Stevie [Wonder], trying to do pushups and be his father.

Would you all classify this as a New York film? The film feels like a love letter to the city at times, with you all shooting at landmark locations like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Dana finally shows Charles a Monet.

WASHINGTON: Yes, absolutely. Cherry Lane Theatre, we were all out there, the whole squad, Dana's whole family was out there that day. That was a great day.

CANEDY: That's right. It was Jordan's birthday.

WASHINGTON: That's right. Yes, yes. A love letter to New York. Absolutely. And as we cut [the Met scene], we kept trimming it back and forth. And we got it — Hughes Winborne is a great editor — she's happy to see his joy. We stay on them, and she's just looking. I mean, where do you meet a guy like Charles?

CANEDY: In my living room. [Laughs]

There's comedy in the film too. Especially Dana saying "Did my sister see him yet?" Were those humorous moments true to life?

CANEDY: Oh my gosh. Those things really happened. And I'll never forget standing in the Met with him and watching his face. There are moments where I still see his face. The first time he saw Jordan, I'll never forget that. The first time I saw [Charles], that flutter in my stomach when I walked in the room and he was standing there, and he was so bashful, he would barely look at me. I'll never forget those things for the rest of my life.

To what degree was Jordan involved in making this movie? Has he seen this movie already?

CANEDY: He has, and he loves it. He's very proud. And Denzel may not remember this moment, but this is also something I'll never forget. We were in Denzel's living room, well before we started shooting, and he turned to Jordan and said, "Tell me, how would you like your father portrayed?" Do you remember that?

WASHINGTON: [Shakes his head "no"]

CANEDY: And Jordan said, "I'd like his humor to come through." And Denzel said, "Hmm, you're absolutely right." And he may not remember that, but the humor does come through in the movie.

Did you have a lot of discussions with Jordan, Denzel, or was that one of the only times?

WASHINGTON: No, not the only time. I can't tell you everything, mom's here. [Laughs]. I'm joking, I'm joking. But mom was there, and she was protecting her baby, as she should. And I was an open book for him. He's just like his dad. He's a quiet, gentle soul that — we were at the New York Times, we were scouting the location, and he just wanted to stay out of the way. I gotta have to call him a gentleman. I'm sorry. He's not a gentle young man anymore. He's a gentleman.

CANEDY: Well, I have to share this, the first day we were on the set I said, "Jordan, I'll call the school and tell them you're not gonna be there today. We'll go to set." And he says, "Mom, I don't wanna miss algebra. We have a test coming up." And I said, "Jordan, come on you nerd" [Laughs]. I said, "Come to the set." And so he literally would not do it. He came only for one hour, and that was on his lunch break.

Wow, did he do well on the test?

CANEDY: He did. He has a 98 average in trigonometry, I think.

WASHINGTON: What happened to you and me? [Laughs] 90-something? We stayed on the set all day. That was our problem.

When we spoke to Michael earlier this year, he told us a bit about how watching you work on A Journal for Jordan helped prepare him to direct Creed III. Do you remember any directing advice you might have given him?

WASHINGTON: Just to be prepared. I know he's doing something he's passionate about. It's too hard a job to not love it, and I know he loves it. He doesn't know where he is going, [as in] he doesn't know how hard what he's about to do is, but he's passionate about it, and he's gonna be fine.

One more interesting thing the film does with Charles is that even the mistakes he makes in the relationship, like not giving Dana a heads up that he'd be missing his flight to help one of his soldiers, still hints at him being a good father. Were you all always trying to capture that nuance, sort of the beauty in the flaws?

WASHINGTON: I think it's also relationships have—where am I going? [To Dana] You know what I'm saying?

CANEDY: Ebbs and flows.

WASHINGTON: Yeah. Ebbs and flows and disappointments.

CANEDY: Yes, there are difficult moments in any long term relationship. And I think the beauty of our story is that you find your way back to each other. And when you work through difficult moments, the love is deeper because you made it through and you understand each other at a deeper level. The commitment to stick together when you face something hard reinforces that you think there's value in being together. And so, Charles was so loyal, and he was always there. We broke up a couple times, I'd break up with him, he'd come back. And he just showed me that a good man was gonna love me, and was gonna stay. And every woman should have a Charles. That's why we've been saying to put through social media #FindYourCharles, and don't settle for anything less.

Nice. Anything to add to that, Denzel?

WASHINGTON: [Snaps in a Z formation] That's all I've got to add.

A Journal for Jordan comes to theaters on Dec. 25.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Related content:

• Michael B. Jordan on how his first time working with Denzel Washington wasn't what he imagined
• 2022 Oscars predictions: See EW's picks for who will win at the Academy Awards
• Michael B. Jordan calls working with Denzel Washington on A Journal for Jordan a 'master class'

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