Is 'Malcolm & Marie' based on a true story? Meet Ashley Levinson, the real inspiration behind romantic drama
Sam Levinson and Zendaya's latest collaboration is a black and white, very millennial romantic drama, starring just the 'Euphoria' actor Zendaya and John David Washington as her co-star.
Being the first project that was entirely written, financed, and produced amidst the pandemic, the film called 'Malcolm & Marie' has kept people on the hook ever since it was first announced on social platforms. The film is a two-hour-long fight between the titular couple on the night of Malcolm's big movie premiere where he makes a grave mistake in his big speech for the event.
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And knowing how Levinson's gritty HBO teen drama 'Euphoria' resembles his personal life growing up, it's but natural to wonder if 'Malcolm & Marie' has its roots seeped in the directors' life too. Turns out, it does, and we have his wife, Ashley Levinson to thank.
The inception of 'Malcolm & Marie' happened when production for the second season of 'Euphoria' got stalled due to the pandemic. Levinson and Zendaya reportedly then discussed the prospects of creating a film during the pandemic, and among the many ideas he pitched to Zendaya, including a psychological thriller to be filmed in her house, this relationship drama stood out.
“I was pitching Z horror films and psychological thrillers and all that, and then at some point I thought, well, what if it’s just a relationship piece that plays out in real time," Levinson told Deadline, adding: "What might kick that off? And I remembered the time I forgot to thank my wife at the premiere of that movie…”
Real story of 'Malcolm & Marie'
Malcolm, too, makes the grave mistake of forgetting to thank his girlfriend Marie, whose life experiences are the backbone of this movie. Turns out, once again, it's not all that far from what Levinson did at the premiere of his film 'Assassination Nation'.
"I couldn’t stop thinking about what happens when you forget to acknowledge the contribution of someone so integral to the process. That was the jumping off point, and I pushed into a realm that’s purely fictional, like, okay he forgets to thank his wife but what happens if we then find out that the movie is actually based somewhat on her? How can I make the problem worse and allow it just peel back layers of their relationship?"
It took six days to write the film, brainstorming with Zendaya throughout the process. After Levinson read 10 pages of dialogues to Washington over the phone, the actor too joined. "I couldn’t believe it," Washington told Variety, adding, "It was beautiful words I heard, and at the same time very disturbing with visceral confrontations."
Both Zendaya and Washington serve as producers for the film with Levinson, but they aren't the only ones/. His wife, Ashley too, serves in the same role.
Who is Ashley Levinson?
Ashley, who is the Chief Strategy Officer at BRON Studios, also has recent success in yet another Netflix film that premiered in January. Titled 'Pieces of a Woman', the story follows a pregnant woman (Vanessa Kirby) whose home birth delivery goes dangerously awry and she ends up losing the baby.
Ashley was also the producer in 2019's mega-hit 'Bombshell', where "a group of women take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over at the network." It starred Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie, and was directed by Jay Roach. Based on a script from Charles Randolph, the story followed the real-life downfall of Ailes.
Ashley's other credits as producer include 'Assassination Nation' with her husband, and also 'Queen & Slim', a crime drama starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith. She was also co-producer on the last two special episodes of her husband's breakthrough television success 'Euphoria', which aired on December 4 and January 24.