Coco Jones And Lynn Whitfield Discuss Fear, Suspense, And The Secrets Behind ‘Strung’

Malcolm D. Lee has spent much of his career making audiences laugh, but his latest film heads in a very different direction. Premiering as the opening night selection of the 30th American Black Film Festival before arriving on Peacock, Strung places Chloe Bailey at the heart of a psychological thriller where music, grief, and deception collide inside one wealthy Los Angeles household.

Bailey stars as Layla, a gifted violinist struggling to regain her footing after a personal tragedy. Repeated rejections from the Philharmonic have stalled her career, forcing her to crash with her best friend Jasmine, played by Coco Jones, while earning extra money teaching children. Everything changes after an encounter with Audra, an elegant stranger portrayed by Lynn Whitfield, who offers Layla a live-in position tutoring her musically gifted granddaughter, Zuri.

What initially appears to be the opportunity of a lifetime quickly reveals something much darker. Hidden tensions inside the family’s mansion begin to surface as Layla discovers secrets involving Audra, her pregnant daughter Imani (Anna Diop), son-in-law Marcus (Lucien Laviscount), and the mysterious young Zuri. Every new discovery pulls Layla deeper into a situation she never expected.

For Jones, Strung also marked unfamiliar territory. While audiences know her for dramatic work on Bel-Air, the thriller gave her an opportunity to explore another side of her acting. “I’ve never been in a thriller and I’m really excited for people to see it,” she told ESSENCE during ABFF weekend. Returning to Miami also carried personal significance for the young actress. “I remember the first time I was here was for Bel-Air literally four years ago,” she said. “It’s really, really cool to be here again doing something new.”

Playing Jasmine also encouraged Jones to trust instincts she hadn’t fully explored before. “With the character I played the longest, Hilary, she’s very put together,” she said. “If she’s being funny, it’s very brief and you kind of got to catch it. Malcolm really encouraged me to just try things, funny things that added light to the heavy situation.” She laughed while recalling the team’s reaction on set. “I think that’s really kind of how I grew. Like, “Oh, maybe I am funny.’ Because the crew would be roaring laughing and I was really impressed by that myself.”

Whitfield, meanwhile, welcomed the chance to anchor another suspense story, though choosing projects has become increasingly selective after decades in the business. After decades of memorable performances in film and television, she looks for roles that challenge her and projects she believes will have a life beyond their initial release.

“My southern mother from Baton Rouge used to always say, ‘Does it add?’” Whitfield explained. “If I feel like I can bring something to the table, if I understand it and what I can bring can create something memorable, I say, “Yeah, let’s take a look.’”

“I always wanted to participate in art that would stand the test of time,” she continued. “I like being involved in things that’ll stick around because it’s a lot of work to learn lines, make a thing, deal with all the people, go on location. I would like for, in 10 years, people would still care about it.” Whitfield believes this movie has the ingredients to do just that. “I think Strung will be one of those,” she said. “People will go back to it and say, ‘Oh, you want to be scared today? Let’s look at that film.’”

Malcolm D. Lee’s Strung is streaming now on Peacock.