‘The Odyssey’ Star Zendaya Gave Her Entire ‘Malcolm & Marie’ Crew a 1% Equity Share in the Film in a Rare Move That Shocked Hollywood – Here’s Why

Zendaya made an unusual decision during the making of her 2021 film Malcolm & Marie, choosing to share financial profits with the entire cast and crew instead of limiting rewards to a small group of producers.

The actress explained the move during a Hollywood Foreign Press Association Zoom panel held for the Sundance Film Festival, according to reporting from Variety and other entertainment outlets.

The film, which Zendaya also produced and starred in alongside John David Washington, was created during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. It was written, produced, and filmed under tight conditions, with a very small crew working in a single location.

During the panel, Zendaya said the project felt deeply personal and close to her. She described the set as a family-like environment, especially because many of the crew members had previously worked with her on Euphoria. That connection played a big role in how the production was structured.

According to Zendaya, the team decided to build a financial system where crew members would receive “points,” which are a type of profit share in the film industry. Each point represents a percentage of ownership, meaning that if the movie is sold or earns money, those holding points receive a share of the earnings.

As reported by Variety, Malcolm & Marie was sold to Netflix for around $30 million. This meant that crew members who received even a small share could have earned significant payouts after the sale.

Zendaya explained the decision in simple terms during the panel. She said, “We got to create this financial structure where all of our crew members also got points on it, so when it sold, they made money as well, so hopefully that will be a system that can continue.” She added, “I think it’s important that we take care of our people.”

In another interview quoted by Variety, she said, “It just felt like the right thing to do. These are the people that are laying all the tracks and were with us through the whole thing — and literally putting their blood, sweat and tears into it.”

The idea of giving crew members profit participation is not common in Hollywood, where such deals are usually reserved for top actors, directors, and producers. Zendaya’s decision stood out because it extended financial benefits to people who normally work behind the scenes, such as camera operators, stylists, and production assistants.

Malcolm & Marie itself is a black-and-white romantic drama directed by Sam Levinson. It follows a couple whose relationship begins to fall apart over the course of a single night after a film premiere. The movie was filmed in secrecy during lockdown and released on Netflix in early 2021.

Critics had mixed reactions to the film, but Zendaya’s performance received strong praise and earned her a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for Best Actress. Reviews highlighted the chemistry between Zendaya and Washington, even though some felt the story was uneven.

Still, beyond the film’s reception, Zendaya’s decision to share profits with her crew became one of the most talked-about aspects of the production. It was seen as a rare example of a major Hollywood actor using their influence to directly reward the people working behind the camera.

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