The first thing you’ll notice when you tune into Strung, premiering this weekend, is just how expensive everything looks. That’s not by accident. Director Malcolm D. Lee was determined to serve up an erotic thriller that not only has jump scares, but a jump in tax bracket for this Blumhouse horror collaboration.
“We’re talking about a family that’s got a lot of money. Appearances are everything, particularly to Audra,” Lee revealed to EBONY as the cast got ready for a lively Q&A after premiering Strung at the 2026 American Black Film Festival in Miami last month.
“I wanted to make sure that we got great visuals for the house. When we were first scouting, we saw a number of homes, some creepier Blumhouse houses, and I’m like, ‘That ain’t it. This is what we need.’”
The home is owned by family matriarch Audra, who invites a young violinist named Laila to move in and tutor her granddaughter in music. But much like the African mask the young musician wears when she first meets the family, the house itself is a cover for the disturbing secrets it hides.
“That setting was most important for this family because we don’t want to suspect anything,” Lee teased.
Lynn Whitfield stars as Audra, who epitomizes opulence. Whitfield made it clear there was no reason, even though she’s playing a grandmother, to become “an apron-wearing, old baby, nurturing—I don’t understand that. Women don’t lose passion because they gain years… at least the smart ones.”
She knows her wardrobe is also a mask for how her character really behaves.“I loved how complex Audra was,” Whitfield declared. “Of course, I’ve played so many women who run things, but I loved her lack of moral compass.”
Audra offers a polished exterior, one Chloe Bailey’s Laila has to get to the bottom of to survive. Laila develops a special bond with Zumi, her young student.
“It was really easy building that relationship with Romy Woods because I have sisters and even younger cousins who feel like baby sisters,” Bailey shared. “I just want to be the best version of myself for them, which I feel is really the heartbeat of the movie when you peel back all of the scary parts.”
Every thriller needs one friend yelling, “Take off the mask.” In Strung, that’s Jasmine, Laila’s best friend, played by Coco Jones, who gives off exactly the kind of ride-or-die energy every heroine needs: present, loyal and not afraid to tell the truth.
“I think in real life it’s important to always prioritize the truth, even if sometimes what you’ve got to say isn’t the easiest thing to say,” Jones said of her character and her personal mantra. “I love the ride-or-die energy that we have, and I hope that when girls come to watch the movie, they’re like, ‘Yeah, girl, that’s us.’”
Lucien Laviscount was taking in all this beauty, and didn’t mind it one bit.
“It was such a gift to be able to be on set with these guys every day and to learn from them and to grow with them and just feel so inspired by everything that they’ve done,” he gushed. “It was phenomenal and fun. I think you see that on screen as well.”
So yes, there is stunning wardrobes, major interiors and beautiful faces. But don’t get too comfortable, because these glamorous details might lower your guard before the nightmare begins.
Strung, a Peacock Original, premieres on the streamer June 26.