TV & Movies

Zendaya Made A Whole Movie In Quarantine With Euphoria Creator Sam Levinson

The actor and costar John David Washington secretly filmed Malcolm & Marie while in lockdown.

Steven Ferdman/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Forget catching up on Netflix — Zendaya used the recent stay-at-home orders to make a movie of her own. According to a new report, Zendaya and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson made an entire movie in quarantine, with BlacKkKlansman breakout performer John David Washington cast as the actor and singer's costar. While there are very few details available about the film, Malcolm & Marie, available thus far, Deadline described it as having "echoes of Netflix’s Marriage Story," and addressing a "number of social themes that the world is experiencing right now."

Zendaya teased the project on Instagram on July 8, sharing a dramatic, black-and-white still, which she captioned simply, "Malcolm & Marie." The photo featuring her and Washington staring intently at one another doesn't give away much, but it does hint at a pretty intense relationship. Deadline reported that the Euphoria star was the driving force behind the project, as she decided to reach out to Levinson back in March, to ask if he would be interested in writing and directing a film during quarantine. The script was apparently written in just six days, and the movie was filmed at the Feldman Architecture’s Caterpillar House in Carmel, California, with a small crew, all performing multiple roles in order to keep everyone involved safe.

Levinson and Zendaya's decided to make a film together shortly after production on Season 2 of Euphoria was suspended in March due to concerns over the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In July 2019, the Spider-Man star celebrated HBO's decision to renew the teen drama on Twitter before the first season had finished airing, writing that she "can’t say thank you enough for the support we’ve seen." A month later, she opened up about how much the series has meant to her on Instagram, writing, "I’m so grateful for this show. For the beautiful family I’ve gained from it, for the self discovery and purpose I’ve found in it, and the people that we’ve been able to connect with and speak to through it."

The actor also praised Levinson for his work on the show, thanking the writer and director "for trusting me with the most honest parts of yourself and bringing Rue into my life, for both of you, I’m forever grateful." Despite the fact that her Season 1 storyline ended on a dramatic cliffhanger, Levinson has confirmed that Zendaya will be in Season 2, and that the show will continue to explore the issues of addiction and mental illness that affected her the first time around. "I think Rue has a big journey ahead of her, and a tough one," he told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2019.

He continuued, "It's not something I want to cut short because of who Rue means to me as someone who has battled with addiction and come out the other side, and because I think that there's a lot more to delve into and unpack in terms of the effects of addiction on Rue and on her family and those around her. The possibilities are endless in many ways." Fans are anxious to see what happens to Rue in Season 2, but until then, at least we have this surprise movie to look forward to.