The Big Picture

• Zendaya's connection with director Sam Levinson led to the intimate project Malcolm & Marie.
• The film features engaging power dynamics between the couple, revealing toxic and selfish behavior.
• Malcolm & Marie showcases Zendaya's dynamic portrayal of femininity and rejection of toxic masculinity.

Throughout the 1980s, John Hughes drew influence from the young actors known as “The Brat Pack,” subsequently casting them in many of the most acclaimed teen films of the decade. It was evident that Hughes had created a deep relationship with his young stars, and understood how to utilize them best. In the past decade, a similar dynamic has formed between writer/director Sam Levinson and the stars of his controversial HBO teen drama Euphoria. Although Euphoria stars Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, and Hunter Schafer have all done impressive film work, Zendaya has become one of the most significant movie stars of her generation.

While her work on Euphoria was met with critical acclaim and a record-breaking Emmy Award victory, Zendaya clearly proved herself to be more ambitious. Although her post-Euphoria work included significant roles in major blockbuster franchises like Dune and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s reboot of Spider-Man, Zendaya still returned to work with Levinson for a far more intimate project. Levinson’s steamy romantic drama Malcolm & Marie featured dynamic chemistry between Zendaya and John David Washington.

What Is 'Malcolm & Marie' About?

While the restrictions put on filmed productions due to COVID-related safety precautions put the industry in a precarious position, it also forced filmmakers to think creatively in order to utilize more limited resources to their fullest potential. Malcolm & Marie is an isolated character drama that takes place entirely in one location. The film centers on the critically acclaimed filmmaker Malcolm Elliot (Washington), who returns to his apartment in Los Angeles after the premiere of his highly ambitious new feature film. His girlfriend Marie (Zendaya) has reached her limit dealing with his egocentric behavior. Throughout an emotionally charged evening, the two lovers begin to contemplate the future of their relationship, facing existential questions about what they mean to each other.

Although the limited setting could have been isolating, Malcolm & Marie utilizes its intimate location to give a window into its characters’ lives. What follows is an authentic series of awkward conversations between two characters that have already gotten to know each other a little too well. Instead of delivering expositional information about the origins of their relationship, Levinson allows the viewers to make assumptions by dropping them in the middle of things. The audience becomes privy to inside jokes and hears references to past arguments that they don’t fully understand. It’s a successful framing device in which Levinson weaponizes the level of access he’s allowing; at first it’s refreshing to see characters speak with such honesty, appealing to the viewers’ inherent desire to go inside a celebrity’s life. However, this becomes awkward when the intimate nature of their conversations begins to feel like an invasion of privacy.

Zendaya Exerts Her Power in 'Malcolm & Marie'

The parallels that can be drawn between Washington’s character and Levinson are more than a little on the nose. It’s evident that the character of Malcolm is a stand-in for Levinson himself, who has attracted controversy for the emotionally distressing content in many of his projects. Zendaya’s role in the film is perhaps even more interesting, as in reality, her connection with Levinson suggests that she is his muse. Malcolm & Marie becomes a film in which the subtext of the conversations are more interesting than the actual context that is given. Levinson appears to be using Washington’s character as a means of responding to critics of his work, and even name-drops key publications in the aftermath of the fictional premiere. Zendaya’s reaction to this egocentric, narcissistic writer/director that she is forced to spend time with feels completely genuine in more ways than one.

Malcolm & Marie features engaging power moves between the couple, as they each try to weaponize each other’s affection. While Malcolm continuously refers to Marie as the source of inspiration behind his work, it’s evident that he doesn’t want to benefit from her contributions without ever fully crediting her. Simultaneously, Marie is furious at Malcolm for using her history of drug abuse as material for his work; however, she can’t help but enjoy the moral superiority that she gets to wield during their arguments. It’s evident that both characters are selfish and that their relationship is a toxic one; the conflict of the film comes from the fact that they can’t fully imagine being apart from each other.

Although the film ends on an ambiguous note, Zendaya shows why Marie is ultimately in the right. She ultimately realizes that Malcolm’s affections for her are as superficial as his films, and that he finds some twisted entertainment from putting himself in morally precarious positions. Zendaya’s performance reflects a dynamic portrayal of femininity and a rejection of toxic masculinity; it’s a remarkably internalized role that allows her to show a more nuanced side of her acting abilities.

'Malcolm & Marie' Helped Kick off Zendaya’s Star Turn

Given the unique nature of the production and the intentionally incendiary subject material, Malcolm & Marie was among the most challenging roles of Zendaya’s career. In addition to starring alongside Washington, whose star power has risen thanks to his work with Christopher Nolan and Spike Lee, she had to transcend some of the more melodramatic aspects of Levinson’s screenplay. However, it’s impossible to leave Malcolm & Marie without thinking about how much she dominates the screen. While reactions to the film were divided, it’s hard to find fault with anything that Zendaya did.

Although it may remain one of the smaller projects of her career, Malcolm & Marie established that Zendaya could play dynamic female characters. Her subsequent work helping redefine the context of Chani in the Dune franchise and steal the scene in the romantic thriller Challengers is a result of the precedent that she set for herself in Malcolm & Marie.

Malcolm & Marie is streaming on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix