The Truth About the Relationship Between Zendaya And John David-Washington
Zendaya has showed no signs of slowing down since leaving the Disney Channel. In fact, in just a matter of years, she has become one of the most famous stars in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). She has also ventured into other films (The Greatest Showman) and television with great success, even winning an Emmy for her performance in Euphoria.
Zendaya has certainly made it clear that she is all grown up, which is why she decided to the Netflix romance drama Malcolm & Marie opposite relative newcomer John David Washington. And with their undeniable on-screen chemistry, one wonders what the relationship is like between the two actors behind the scenes.
John David Washington Joined Malcolm & Marie Cast After Zendaya Signed On
Malcolm & Marie came about when Euphoria creator Sam Levinson was forced to bring a halt to the show’s production due to the pandemic. At some point, he discussed the possibility of shooting a film with his lead actress and Zendaya was all for it. “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 recalled during an interview with Deadline. The film would be shot in a house with a small crew and they were going to make it work. Meanwhile, when it came to casting for the other titular character in the film, both Zendaya and Levinson only thought of one man, Washington.
Levinson approached Washington while the script was still under development. And even with an unfinished script, the actor was already keen on joining the cast. “I get this script and a call from Sam, and he starts reading me the dialogue between Malcolm & Marie for about 10 pages,” Levinson recalled while speaking with Variety. “I couldn’t believe it. It was beautiful words I heard, and at the same time very disturbing with visceral confrontations.” The actor also later told Esquire, “It doesn’t matter what he wrote, I wanted to do a Sam Levinson film. I wanted to work with him and Zendaya.”
And just like that, Levinson had his cast. Both Zendaya and Washington were excited about getting to work on this film.
John David Washington Never Had A Problem With Their Age Gap
In Malcolm & Marie, Washington and Zendaya portray a couple whose relationship seems to unravel after they come home from an awards ceremony. And despite the apparent on-screen chemistry, some still pointed out that there is a 12-year age gap between the two actors. If you ask Washington, it had always been a non-issue. “I wasn’t concerned about it because she is a woman,” the actor explained. “People are going to see in this film how much of a woman she is.”
As for Zendaya, she kind of expected some backlash because she knew that some people still saw her as a Disney star. “You have to remember, also, people grew up with me as a child,” the actress told E! News. “It's like watching, I guess, your younger sibling now, you know, they're grown...So it's hard for people to wrap around the idea that I am grown in real life. You know, even though I do play a teenager on television still.”
They Bonded Over Beyoncé
Even if they’ve never met before, Zendaya and Washington became fast friends due to their shared love for Beyoncé. “The ultimate thing, the nexus, the connective tissue, was Beyoncé, between she and I,” Washington recalled. “She and I are part of the Beyhive, and we knew we were going to be fine when we went through a whole catalog of Beyoncé music as a group. We were like, oh, we’re good. We’re going to be great.”
At the same time, the co-stars also bonded over their determination to make a good film despite the circumstances. Both actors even served as producers on Malcolm & Marie.
He Looks Up To Zendaya
For Washington, he credits Zendaya for showing her the ropes. “She has far more experience than I do in the industry. I’ve only been in it for seven years. She’s been in it longer, so I’m learning from her. I’m the rookie. I was leaning on her for a lot,” the actor said. “I appreciated her wisdom and discernment when it comes to this business. I admire that.”
Washington is also in awe of Zendaya’s ability to portray Marie even when she personally can’t relate to the character much. “She can do this, she can go. And I was like, I wonder what happened to her? I was going to ask her, did you ever have a drug issue, or did you ever drink a lot? What are the dark times?” Washington explained. “And she didn’t have any of those. She doesn’t drink, and never smoked a day in her life. Then I got really intimidated.”
As for Zendaya, the actress only has kind words for her co-star, insisting that Washington is nothing like Malcolm. “John David, anyone who has the privilege of meeting this wonderful man, I think can know that he is such a beautiful spirit and a lovely kind person,” Zendaya remarked while speaking with Complex. “And I think that it is infectious when you meet him. So it's impossible not to like him and not to love him.”
At the moment, Zendaya and Washington are yet to reunite onscreen for another project. That said, both actors are set to appear in several upcoming films (Zendaya stars in Space Jam: A New Legacy and Spider-Man: No Way Home among others while Washington stars in the upcoming drama thriller Beckett), so fans don’t have to wait long to see either of them again.
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