'We had to reverse engineer it': Sam Levinson reflects on pandemic production of Malcolm & Marie

"I Immediately Fell in Love": The Unprecedented Production Journey of 'Malcolm & Marie'

In the cinematic landscape, Sam Levinson's 'Malcolm & Marie', starring Zendaya and John David Washington, will forever hold a unique position as one of the first—if not the first—film shot during the coronavirus pandemic. As Hollywood pressed pause, Levinson and his Emmy-winning star, Zendaya, took it as a cue to break new ground.

Navigating Uncharted Territory

The genesis of the idea emerged from the shutdown of their show 'Euphoria', prompting Levinson to hatch a plan for a film. "We sort of had to reverse engineer it in a way," Levinson admitted during Deadline's Contenders Film awards-season event. He elaborated that he envisioned a setting with just the two actors, Zendaya and Washington, and found Carmel, California—the only place where they could shoot on private property without a permit.

The Challenges and Triumphs of 'Malcolm & Marie'

Levinson's cinematic brainchild revolves around a couple—Malcolm and Marie—who find their relationship's strength put to the test as revelations surface when they return home from a movie premiere. The narrative was fueled by Levinson's personal experience of forgetting to thank his wife at a premiere.

Despite the challenges, the actor duo took on their roles with determination and enthusiasm. Levinson says he wrote the role of Marie with Zendaya in mind, a decision the actress readily embraced. "He hit me with [Malcolm & Marie] and I immediately fell in love with the challenge [and] the possibilities of what could happen — and this idea of coming into my womanhood as an actress," Zendaya confessed.

On the other hand, when crafting the character of Malcolm, Levinson could only imagine Washington for the role. The actor acknowledged the high-octane emotion and dialogue-dense movie as equally liberating and daunting. Washington praised Levinson's writing prowess, noting, "Sam is a brilliant writer, one of the best around, and he beautifully crafted this exhibition of a multi-dimensional relationship."

Looking back, 'Malcolm & Marie' emerged as a testament to the crew's dedication and creative ingenuity, their perseverance through a pandemic, and their collective desire to continue creating art, even amidst the most challenging of times.

(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)