Why is 'Malcom & Marie' in Black & White? Zendaya Explains the Choice

Zendaya‘s new movie Malcolm & Marie is currently the number one movie on Netflix and she’s opening up about the decision to film it in black and white.

The entire movie features just two actors, her and John David Washington, and they filmed it right at the beginning of the pandemic while quarantining with the entire crew.

Zendaya opened up about writer and director Sam Levinson‘s black and white choice while being interviewed on GMA this week.

“Well, you know, other than the fact that it’s just pretty, it’s beautiful, it adds timelessness to it, but also… there was a thought also about reclaiming the narrative of black and white Hollywood and Black actors really having their moment at that time,” Zendaya said.

“We weren’t as present in the black and white era,” she continued. “A lot of filmmakers have already done this before, a lot of Black filmmakers, so it’s not necessarily a new idea, but we did want to pay tribute to that era and reclaim that beauty and that elegance with these two Black actors.”

Click inside to read what the film’s costume designer said…

Zendaya‘s longtime stylist Law Roach, who was the film’s co-costume designer, talked about how the choice to go black and white affected his work.

“The most important note that I got from Sam Levinson is that the dress had to have movement because it was being shot in black-and-white,” Law told The Cut. “It needed to have a life — to catch that light from every angle and from every direction. It had to feel liquid and the metallic was a natural way for me to get that.”

See what Zendaya had to say about her age gap with co-star John David.