Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, the star duo of the film "The Drama," sparked controversy with an ultra-conceptual photoshoot for Interview Magazine (March 2026). Inspired by the psychological thriller "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962), this retro and clownish image—with its porcelain-white makeup, smeared red lips, and wild blonde wigs—surprised social media. Far from a typical promotional campaign for their "dark rom-com," these images raise more questions than they answer.
A daring and theatrical concept
Shot by photographer Nadia Lee Cohen, the photoshoot features the two actors in a dilapidated, retro house. On the cover, Zendaya clings to Robert Pattinson's back, her leg wrapped around his waist, both gazing at the camera with a haunting expression. Robert Pattinson wears an ivory lace top with thin straps and unbuttoned brown trousers, while Zendaya sports Chloé lace sleeves.
Other shots show matching blue floral dresses (Robert Pattinson on his knees), twinning black suits (Zendaya lying between his legs), and Robert Pattinson in a draped Valentino shirt, cigarette in hand. The entire shoot blends high fashion and vintage suits for a distinctly gender-bending effect.
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Explosive reactions online
The buzz was immediate, but negative for many: "It's too weird," "Ridiculous," flooded X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Some fans were outraged by Robert Pattinson's look – "Why put him in women's clothes?" , "He doesn't look like a serious actor" – while others saw him as "Joker and Harley Quinn after a dance recital."
Some even accuse it of sacrificing soul to stay "trendy." The admiring minority defends its artistic audacity: "Provocative, as a psychological thriller should be," "Perfect for stepping outside your comfort zone." The sentiment is echoed on Reddit: some people love the "haunted and unique" atmosphere, while others find the unsettling reactions precisely the intended effect.
Promoting a suspense film
This image perfectly captures the premise of "The Drama" (released April 3, 2026), directed by Kristoffer Borgli: a couple on the verge of marriage whose week turns into a nightmare, veering from rom-com to psychological angst. This marks the first on-screen collaboration between Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, following "Dune: Part Three" and "The Odyssey" earlier this year.
In the interview, Zendaya initially finds him "mysterious and chill," on the advice of her fiancé Tom Holland ( "He's super fun!" ). Robert Pattinson laughs: "If I don't talk much, people find me intimidating, but I don't play the part ." The theme of the shoot? "I don't know," they summarize, laughing.
Ultimately, this photoshoot is divisive, but it's generated a lot of buzz: mission accomplished for a film that plays on discomfort. Zendaya and Robert Pattinson prove their audacity, even if it means causing offense. It remains to be seen whether this "marketing discomfort" will translate to movie theaters, or if Hollywood has crossed too blurry a line between art and gratuitous discomfort.
