1st Sgt. Charles Monroe King died in October 2006 after a bomb exploded underneath his humvee during his tour in Iraq. He left behind his wife, Dana Canedy, and their infant son Jordan, who was six months old at the time of his death.
King left something else behind for his son. A journal, more than two hundred pages long, of hand-written entries for his son during his service time.
Fifteen years later, A Journal for Jordan makes it to the big screen.
Meeting Jordan
Director Denzel Washington first met Jordan in 2008 while he was shooting The Taking of Pelham 123. Canedy was still grieving her late husband when Washington invited her and Jordan to the set. She described the actor’s demeanor toward her son as “tender and caring.”
“He pulled out pictures of his own family to show Jordan, and I thought, huh, not only is this guy the top at what he does, the best in the business, but he has a heart,” said Canedy. “And I knew he was a Christian man. And I thought the combination of those things meant that I could trust him with our story, with our lives.”
Washington has had a busy December. The two-time Academy Award-winner directs his first film since 2016’s Fences while juggling the release of another film he stars in, The Tragedy of Macbeth. The director provides his own perspective on that day, grinning his trademark grin as he reminisces.
“I was showing him the cab and all the things we were doing, and he was curious,” said Washington. “I don’t wanna say I knew then but my desire then was in some way help take care of this young man in any way that I could. He was – he is still so curious and gentle. I’ve learned so much from him. And Dana and Charles in getting the opportunity to tell the story.”
King’s Legacy
Canedy doesn’t put much stock into seeing herself being portrayed on screen. Her thoughts remain with King and the greater themes their love story represents.
I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about my life,” said Canedy. “I think about Charles. I think about his legacy and I think about our son. And I think about the universal themes of love and resilience that come through in the film. But I also hope that people laugh a lot, find it entertaining. I think it’s the perfect movie to see with people that you love during the holidays. Grab somebody that you love, go and see it, and then hug them closer, tighter.”
A Journal for Jordan will be released in theaters only on Christmas Day.
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