Dennis Lehane on Black Bird, Ray Liotta, and Why He Loved Working on The Wire

With Black Bird now streaming on Apple TV+, I recently spoke with Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone) about writing and creating the fantastic new series. Inspired by the true-crime memoir In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption by authors James Keene and Hillel Levin, Black Bird follows a convicted felon (Taron Egerton) who is given the chance to reduce his 10-year sentence by entering a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriending a suspected serial killer (Paul Walter Hauser). If he can manage to find out where the bodies are buried, he can have his sentence commuted. But if anything happens in the maximum-security prison, he’s on his own. Black Bird also stars Sepideh Moafi, Greg Kinnear, and a phenomenal Ray Liotta, who plays Egerton’s father.
During the wide-ranging interview, Lehane talked about what drew him to the material, why it’s six episodes, what it was like working with Ray Liotta and watching his performance up close, how he worked with Paul Walter Hauser to add things to his character that weren’t in the script, and what happened to American Son (his adaptation of A Prophet). He also talked about how he’s finally going to direct some episodes of his next television project, what he’d love to make if he could get the rights, and what someone should read if they’ve never checked out his novels.
Check out what Lehane had to say in the player above, or you can read our conversation below.
#BlackBird #DennisLehane #RayLiotta
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[@heymeRaj]

Lehane had been my staple few years ago. Adore his writing style and voice.

[@krystlematar5291]

Oh man I would sell a chunk of my soul for a limited series adaptation of The Given Day

[@YGardenRose]

Interesting behind the scenes info

[@robertgallagher5285]

Just reading my first Dennis Lehane Novel Small Mercies phenomenal stage play like scenes do not and will not own or watch a Television!! 📺