A dream opportunity quickly spirals into a nightmare in Peacock’s upcoming psychological thriller ‘Strung.’
(Courtesy Peacock)
Malcolm D. Lee is stepping into the thriller space this summer with Strung, a new psychological thriller produced by Tyler Perry and Jason Blum. Known for his hit film The Best Man Holiday, and beloved black culture must sees, Girls Trip, Roll Bounce and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, Lee takes on a different genre for the first time with a star studded cast led by Chloe Bailey, Lucien Laviscount and Lynn Whitfield.The film follows Layla (Bailey), a talented young violinist who accepts a once in a lifetime position tutoring the gifted daughter of a wealthy Los Angeles family. What begins as a dream opportunity quickly takes a dark turn as Layla becomes increasingly entangled in the family’s secretive world. As she spends more time on the estate, she begins to realize that everything is not as it seems.
Lynn Whitfield revealed that she initially assumed Lee’s next project would be a comedy. Initially, the project caught her off guard. “I bumped into Malcolm Lee at a party and said, ‘Malcolm, we have to work together,'” Whitfield said. “Six weeks later, I got a note from him saying, ‘I have the project for us,’ and of course I thought it was going to be a comedy.” When discussing her attraction to complex characters such as Audra, Whitfield explained the appeal of portraying flawed women on screen. “People like these roles and they become more memorable to them,” Whitfield said.
(Courtesy Peacock)
For Lee, Strung represented an opportunity to expand beyond the genre that made him famous. The director said he has long been a fan of thrillers and psychological suspense, making the project an easy ‘yes’ once he read the script. With every page, the twists kept coming. “Immediately when I read the script, it was a page-turner,” Lee said. “I’ve been wanting to stretch beyond comedies.”
Bailey was equally enthusiastic about joining the project, giving her a chance to star in a jaw dropping storyline while also tying in her love for music.
“I love a scandal,” Bailey said. “Plus, it has music. How could a girl like me say no?”
(Courtesy Peacock)
Similarly, Laviscount said the role offered him the chance to explore a more layered character.
“For me, it was the opportunity to play this conflicted character, which was a lot of fun,” Laviscount said.
Produced by Tyler Perry and Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions, Strung premieres on Peacock on June 26. Watch the official trailer for Strung below.
