Zendaya and Robert Pattinson’s Movie Secrets Revealed by Director! What’s the Drama?

Warning, spoilers ahead! If you haven’t seen “The Drama” yet, consider this your chance to turn back.

Norwegian director Kristoffer Borgli is known for creating discomfort for his audience. Following his works “Sick Of Myself” and “Dream Scenario,” Borgli continues this trend with “The Drama.” Featuring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, the film revolves around a young couple on the verge of marriage. Days before their wedding, they decide to confess the worst deeds from their pasts. The bride-to-be’s confession throws their lives into turmoil.

The film’s promotion keeps the nature of this confession a secret, which is revealed 20 minutes into the movie. In this pivotal scene, Emma (Zendaya) admits that at 15, she nearly carried out a mass shooting at her school. As a lonely and bullied teenager, she planned the attack from her room, but another nearby tragedy stopped her from going through with it.

AlloCiné spoke with director and screenwriter Kristoffer Borgli to delve into this shocking revelation and answer questions viewers might have after watching the film.

AlloCiné: How did the idea for The Drama’s secret come about?

Kristoffer Borgli: The idea came to me around 2022 or 2023. It’s fairly recent. But after moving to the United States, I was struck by many things, and the issue of mass shootings really stood out to me. In Norway, my home country, we experienced a similar tragedy on July 22, 2011, with the Oslo and Utøya attacks, but it’s not a part of our daily lives. This film also explores our cultural differences.

I was curious to see how we could reinvent one of the most famous people on the planet.

Was it bold to cast a high-profile and glamorous actress like Zendaya for such a role?

It was a new and risky role for her. It’s something I hadn’t seen from her before. I was curious to see how we could utilize and reinvent one of the planet’s most famous individuals. How much of the real Zendaya could we bring into Emma’s character. We discussed it extensively and delved deep into the character’s psychology. She found a way to embody it in a way that brought the character to life on screen more vividly than on the script. She truly brought her to life.

The revelation scene is played out like a theater piece. For the film to succeed, this had to be executed flawlessly, right?

It was a real challenge as it’s a very long sequence. About 20 pages of dialogue in the script. Everything takes place in a very sparse setting, with minimal lighting. There are no frills so everything had to be delivered with intensity. And the editing makes it feel like it’s happening in real time, as if you’re there with them. It was filmed over 4 days, while the entire shooting lasted 35 days.

You mentioned cultural differences. In France, mass shootings are not as much a societal issue as in the United States. Are you concerned about how American audiences will receive the film?

Not really. I just focus on making a film. When I write alone in my room and no one is reading my work, I don’t think about the audience at all. Nothing stops me. I just try to stay true to myself, my ideas, and what I want to explore. But for me, each film is a good starting point to spark a conversation, a debate. I’m very curious to see where this conversation will lead us with The Drama.

Would you say that The Drama is a political film?

I can’t say it’s strictly a political film, nor is it a film with a single message. But politics are explored, just as many other themes such as identity, love, and the challenges of existence, of being human in our time. But regardless, politics are an integral part of our lives. Thus, it’s only natural that it would be a part of the film. But it’s not a message movie.

The Drama, now playing in theaters