‘Euphoria’ Creator, Zendaya Filmed Secret Movie with John David Washington During Pandemic

Zack Sharf
·2 min read

Click here to read the full article.

“Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson shot a secret movie in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic with actors Zendaya and John David Washington, Deadline reports. The film is titled “Malcolm & Marie” and filmed between June 17 and July 2 at the Caterpillar House in Carmel, California. While shot in secret, guilds such as the WGA, DGA, and SAG-AFTRA reportedly all approved the production and the cast and crew filmed under strict Covid-19 safety protocols.

A plot synopsis for “Malcolm & Marie” has not been released, although Deadline reports the film has “some echoes of Netflix’s ‘Marriage Story,’ while resonating [with] a number of social themes which the world is experiencing right now.” The production was all contained in one location at the Caterpillar House, described as “an environmentally-conscious glass architectural marvel” and “the first LEED Platinum Custom Home on California’s Central Coast.” The location “allowed the production to use very little air conditioning or heat with the home’s glass doors providing fresh air.”

More from IndieWire

According to Deadline, the entire cast and crew lived in “separate dwellings” for two weeks before arriving at the Caterpillar House. Whenever cast or crew members met up, they did so in socially-distant spaces like on hikes and wore masks. The actors rehearsed in a parking lot so they could keep their distance prior to the two-week quarantine ending. No one was allowed to leave or enter the property during filming. As for the production, Deadline has a complete rundown of what was and wasn’t allowed during filming, plus an extensive list of safety measures.

Levinson funded the project himself along with his production partner and wife Ashley, Zendaya, Washington, and producer Kevin Turen. The filmmaker and Zendaya work together on HBO’s “Euphoria” and had to shutdown production on Season 2 in March because of the pandemic. “Malcolm & Marie” also features the work of “Euphoria” cinematographer Marcell Rév and production designer Michael Grasley.

Best of IndieWire

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.