John David Washington
This black-and-white film captures love’s complexity
LOVE & WAR Tenet star John David Washington plays movie director Malcolm Elliott in Malcolm & Marie, streaming now on Netflix.
After Malcolm gets a rousing reception at the premiere of his debut film, he heads home with his girlfriend, Marie (played by Zendaya), to celebrate.
Things quickly unravel for the couple and celebration turns to confrontation because he forgot to thank her during his speech at the first showing of the film for which she was his muse, as it’s based on her life and struggle with addiction. The quarrel peels back the many layers of their relationship but their tense, emotional monologues lead to a game of seduction.
Both actors had a hand in producing the drama which was shot in black and white. Writer and director Sam Levinson (Euphoria) wrote the story with the pair in mind as the leads.
“I just knew I had to do it. It was something I desperately needed artistically. I had all these feelings and anxiety, with this concern about my future,” John said of the film, which was shot during the pandemic.
ACTING GENES Malcolm & Marie took a lot of flak because of the age difference between the actors – Zendaya is 12 years younger than John (36), son of Denzel Washington. “People are going to see in this film how much of a woman she is,” the actor told People. “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,” says the former pro footballer. While he may feel like a “rookie” he’s gotten critics talking with his recent roles in BlacKkKlansman and Christopher Nolan’s Tenet.
“It was a proud moment for my mom and dad to watch their young man in a Nolan film,” the star said. “[My dad] gave me the biggest hug of my life and told me he loved me. It sounds corny, but that’s how we do it around here.”
Nolan described John as “one of the greatest collaborators I’ve worked with: extraordinarily ha rd- wo rk ing , very, very thoughtful , and ver y considerate of everybody around him in the most wonderful way”.
FAMILY GUY The actor says he’s inspired by dad Denzel and mom Pauletta. The actor even moved back to his childhood home at the start of the pandemic to be closer to them.
His first film role was in Malcolm X, at age 7, but he spent many years as a pro footballer. “[Acting] was in my heart my whole life,” he said in 2015. “But every kid has their rebel kind of thing, so my rebel, I turned to football, ’cause I always loved it too, but this was my thing.”
‘I think the best actor in the industry, in the business, is my father. I’m inspired by the kind of career he’s had and what he’s had to do’
– JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON