Fences stars an actor.
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. ( born December 28 , 1954 ) is an American actor , director , and producer . Fences is a 2016 American period drama film directed by and starring Denzel Washington and written by August Wilson , based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name ( Wilson died in 2005 , but completed a screenplay before his death ) . Jovan Adepo is a British -- American actor . Russell Hornsby ( born May 15 , 1974 ) is an American theater , television , and film actor .