Though he was a writer dedicated to writing for theater, a Hollywood studio proposed filming Wilson's play "Fences". He insisted that a black director be hired for the film, saying: "I declined a white director not on the basis of race but on the basis of culture. White directors are not qualified for the job. The job requires someone who shares the specifics of the culture of black Americans." The film remained unmade until 2016, when Denzel Washington directed the film "Fences", starring Washington and Viola Davis. It earned Wilson a posthumous Oscar nomination.