Jeffrey Wright Plays an Author Who Unwittingly Writes a Hit in “American Fiction” Trailer

'American Fiction' stars Jeffrey Wright as a writer whose attempt to jokingly criticize society's obsession with Black stereotypes proves unexpectedly lucrative

Jeffrey Wright plays an author who finds success in stereotyping himself in his latest role.

On Monday, Orion Pictures and Amazon MGM Studios released the trailer for 57-year-old Wright's new movie American Fiction, a satirical comedy based on Percival Everett's 2001 novel Erasure.

The trailer meets Wright as his character Monk discusses with his agent how editors and publishers "want a Black book" that indulges in stereotypes as his other writing fails to sell. Frustrated by the literary industry, Monk writes a book titled My Pafology rife with stereotyped characterizations about his own community under a pseudonym, intended as a joke.

To Monk's surprise, his "joke" book actually sells and grows into something of a phenomenon, leading Monk to create a fake ex-convict persona in order to promote the novel, which even receives a major movie deal.

As his popularity rises, Monk faces the reality that while his writing is more successful than ever, it is not true to his own life.

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The film's official synopsis states that the movie "confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes." The synopsis describes Monk as "a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from 'Black' entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes."

"To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish 'Black' book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain," the synopsis adds.

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American Fiction made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, where it won this year's People's Choice Award.

The film serves as the directorial debut for filmmaker Cord Jefferson, who previously worked in television as a writer and producer on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, The Good Place, Master of None and the 2019 HBO miniseries Watchmen. Jefferson started his career as a journalist with bylines in The Ringer, GQ, The New Yorker and Gawker before he began working in film and television.

“I’ve never directed anything in my life, not a commercial, not a short film. I had never written a movie before,” Jefferson told Vanity Fair in August. “All of a sudden I’m giving Jeffrey Wright acting notes? It’s like telling Michael Jordan how to do a jump shot."

Rian Johnson (Knives Out) is an executive producer on the movie, as well as author Everett.

Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Issa Rae and Sterling K. Brown costar alongside Wright.

American Fiction releases in select theaters Dec. 15 and expands for a wider release Dec. 22.

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