Zendaya Dismisses Criticism of, 12-Year Age Gap, in ‘Malcolm & Marie’.<br />Zendaya is speaking out against recent<br />concerns over her role in the upcoming<br />Netflix film, ‘Malcolm & Marie.’.<br />In the film, the 24-year-old Emmy winner<br />has an on-screen romance with <br />36-year-old John David Washington. .<br />Some social media users <br />have criticized the 12-year age gap. .<br />In an interview on ‘PEOPLE (the TV Show!),’<br />Zendaya empathized with her fans but ultimately<br />dismissed their concerns. .<br />Although she often portrays younger<br />characters on-screen, Zendaya reminded her<br />fans that she is a “grown” woman.<br />People often forget — which is understandable<br />because I've been playing 16 since I was 16, you<br />know — [but] I am grown … I knew that, as I grow<br />and as I evolve, there would be that moment<br />where I could play someone my own age, Zendaya, to 'PEOPLE (the TV Show!)'.<br />Washington also addressed the <br />topic in the past, telling ‘Variety’ <br />that he wasn’t “concerned.”.<br />People are going to see in this film how<br />much of a woman she is … She has far more<br />experience than I do in the industry, I've<br />only been in it for seven years. She's been in it<br />longer, so I'm learning from her. I'm the rookie, John David Washington, to 'Variety'
