It’s safe to say that Kelsey Grammer is a history buff.
“Our history teaches us so much if we do it right, if we understand what it really meant,” Grammer told LATF.
The actor has long been known as a history enthusiast, particularly when it comes to American history and the Founding Fathers. He even narrated Historic Battles for America: Bunker Hill back in 2022, a docu-series which covers the strategic siege of Boston and the brutal June 1775 fighting.
It came as no surprise when he reunited with writer/director Jon Erwin for Young Washington to portray Lord Fairfax. Erwin picked up his phone and asked Grammer to come film for a few days on set. It was an easy ‘yes,’ as Grammer loves historical figures who shaped America.
“I actually did a miniseries a long time ago with Barry Bostwick playing George Washington. I was his adjutant, Robert Stewart, I think his name was. And that was one of my first jobs in a film. It was with Jacqueline Smith, it was incredible. George Washington’s story is a great story. He’s not just that musty old guy. He’s a magnificent human being, and the first true American,” Grammer said.
That was back in 1984. Over 40 years later, Grammer is still drawn to projects which spotlight great historical figures.
In Erwin’s latest venture, Young Washington, he explores the formative years of George Washington before he became the leader of the American Revolution and the nation’s first president. It’s certainly an epic historical film, from the production design to the costumes and performances. The detail down to the buttons on the military uniforms and the musket props are so well done. This is truly a rare glimpse into the first president’s youth.
William Franklyn-Miller brilliantly portrays George Washington in his early 20’s during the French and Indian War. The rising star is beautifully supported by veteran actors including Grammer, Mary Louise-Parker, Andy Serkis and Sir Ben Kingsley.
It took Erwin over a decade, from concept to production, to bring the film to life.
“I couldn’t get into Hamilton as everyone else… I just fell in love with the story (of George Washington). I was just enamored with it. And couldn’t stop learning about it. Filled with a sense of awe and wonder… I just love the idea of who’s the person behind the myth, who’s the human behind the legend, and where was that person formed? And I learned about this first really kind of coming of age, hero’s journey, adventure, in his life that forged him. It’s a movie I’ve wanted to make for over a decade. And so to have it come out on the 250th anniversary (of America) is a magical thing,” Erwin said.
Sitting down with Grammer and Erwin, watching them talk about George Washington and American history is like watching two kids in a candy shop. They have a passion for the history of our country.
What truly sets Young Washington apart from the countless historical films and series is that it doesn’t replay what we learned in social studies class. Instead, Erwin shifts the spotlight to a chapter of Washington’s life that most people know very little about.
In doing so, the film becomes a history lesson for audiences. As historical films should, it teaches us something we didn’t know before.
Perfectly aligned with the 250th birthday of America and Fourth of July, audiences can enjoy Young Washington on July 3rd!
