She and John David Washington play love interests in the movie and are 12 years apart.
Zendaya Addresses Criticism Over the Age Gap With Her 'Malcom & Marie' Costar
Zendaya's new movie, Malcolm & Marie, is getting Oscar buzz—and backlash. Euphoria creator Sam Levinson wrote the film for Zendaya, but her age gap with love interest John David Washington is causing some criticism among fans. Twenty-four-year-old Zendaya plays 36-year-old Washington's girlfriend in the black-and-white drama set to premiere February 5 on Netflix.
“I've played a 16-year-old since I was 16,” Zendaya told E! News, regarding the controversy. "You have to remember, also, people grew up with me as a child. 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."
That teenager Zendaya is referring to is Rue on HBO's hit show, Euphoria. Her performance earned her an Emmy and continues to receive both critical acclaim and commercial success. Due to the pandemic, season two filming has been put on hold, but the show released some special episodes to satiate fans. Zendaya and Washington admitted that before landing Malcolm & Marie, they were concerned about not being able to work during the pandemic.
"I didn't know what the industry was going to look like," Washington said. "I didn't know if I was going to have an opportunity to do what I love to do the most, which is act." Zendaya echoed a similar sentiment: "Sometimes when you don't see the roles that you want, sometimes you gotta be a part of creating them. So I'm grateful Sam wrote this movie for us."
Despite the age gap, Washington admits that when it comes to professional experience, Zendaya is a pro. "She has far more experience than I do in the industry," he said in an interview with Variety. "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."
He added, "Some of the stories she's shared about what she's had to go through with Twitter and everything. I appreciated her wisdom and discernment when it comes to this business. I admire that."
This story originally appeared on: Glamour - Author:Paulina Jayne Isaac
