Zendaya and John David Washington Filmed a Secret Movie During COVID-19 Lockdown

The film, titled 'Malcolm & Marie,' was reportedly filmed between June 17 and July 2. 'Euphoria' creator Sam Levinson reportedly wrote the script in six days.

Zendaya
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Image via Getty/Steven Ferdman

Zendaya

Although the pandemic has essentially brought Hollywood to a standstill, Zendaya and John David Washington managed to secretly film an entire project during the worldwide lockdowns.

Deadline reports the actors teamed up with Euphoria creatorSam Levinson on Malcolm & Marie, a full-length feature that was shot between June 17 and July 2 at the Caterpillar House in Carmel, California. The space is described as an "environmentally conscious glass architectural marvel" that was situated on 33 acres of land—plenty of room to ensure the cast and crew adhered to social distancing guidelines.

According to the outlet, producers consulted with lawyers and health experts on how to safely carry out production and mitigate the potential transmission of the virus. The team required all involved parties to take multiple COVID-19 tests and undergo a two-week quarantine before filming began.

Cast and crew members were forced to wear masks during the two-week production; meals were eaten in designated areas and prepared by a chef who also underwent quarantine; rehearsals took place in parking lots; no more than a dozen people were allowed on set at any given moment; temperature checks occurred at the beginning and end of each day; and no one from the main team was allowed to leave the property.

The WGA, DGA, and SAG-AFTRA reportedly approved the production once the safety measures were laid out.

The plot for Malcolm & Marie has not been revealed; however, Deadline reports it is reminiscent of Netflix's Oscar-nominated Marriage Story, "while resonating a number of social themes that the world is experiencing right now." 

Stay tuned as more details about the film become available.

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