Zendaya’s new steamy tennis dramedy Challengers co-starring Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist is about to hit the big screen on 26th April. In this Luca Guadagnino-helmed romantic sports drama, Zendaya plays a committed tennis coach named Tashi Duncan who is married to a tennis star played by Mike Faist. Who is on a losing streak? O’Connor plays her ex-boyfriend and the film is a love triangle depicted through the lens of their desires and passion for tennis.
Meanwhile, the film also has some intimate scenes. Ahead of the release, the Spider-Man: No Way Home actress took to her Instagram handle to share some behind-the-scene videos where she showed how the romantic sequences were done.
Zendaya's Challengers Co-stars 'Make Out' With Her Wig
Zendaya is a busy actress. She has become one of the most sought-after actresses of her generation and has already displayed an impressive filmography up to this point. She has come a long way from her early days to starring in big movies in the MCU and Dune, she has also managed to act in character-driven dramas like Euphoria, and Malcolm and Marie.
And, now she is going to "lead a film" for the first time in her career as Tashi Dunkan. The film involves steamy scenes involving her, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist. And, in a post on Instagram, she shared her excitement and some BTS videos.
The post also includes a playful video where her co-stars jokingly kiss a tennis racquet wearing Zendaya’s wig from the movie.
“This is the make out scene,” Mike, 32, says in the video, before he and Josh, 33, lean in to kiss the racquet. “A little bts dump in honor of @challengersmovie coming out in a couple days. This is my first time leading a film in this way so ya girls been nervous but everyones excitement and encouragement has meant the world to me,” Zendaya wrote in a caption to her post. “I’m so honoured that I get to do this beside these incredibly talented, brilliant (and hilarious) people and on behalf of all of us, we hope you enjoy the film and again… try not to judge the characters too much lol,” she finished the caption, before adding, “but also #TeamTashi.”
Recently, Zendaya also spoke about how her parents reacted to her steamy scenes in Challengers. She shared that though they knew about the plot of the film owing to the rating, it was ‘hilarious’ to see their reactions.
“It was hilarious,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “Yeah, I thought it was hilarious. They’ve all seen Euphoria, you know, so it’s not like our first rodeo or anything. It was funny ’cause, you know, obviously I’ve seen the movie many times so I know what’s coming, and they were all sitting behind me, and I got to, like, watch them watch and slowly just be like, ‘Oh god.’ It’s still enough to not want to watch with your aunt.”
How did Zendaya and Her Co-Star Prepare for The Steamy Scenes in the Movie?
The upcoming film Challengers promises a complex and captivating story. The movie tells the story of former tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan, played by Zendaya, who is married to and coaches the renowned Grand Slam tennis champion, Art Donaldson, portrayed by Mike Faist. Their relationship takes a turn when Art enters a challenger event and faces off against his former best friend and Tashi's ex-boyfriend, Patrick, played by Josh O'Connor.
The trailer hints at a compelling narrative filled with intimate moments that explore the intricate relationships between the characters. On the court, they'll compete fiercely, while off-court emotions will run high. Performing intimate scenes in movies can be challenging, requiring a strong sense of trust and collaboration among the actors. Actors often utilize specific techniques fostered by trust and facilitated by intimacy coordinators. Zendaya, in an interview with Total Film magazine (via The Direct), shed light on the process she and her co-stars went through:
“Just being committed to the work, and holding space for each other, and being patient with each other, and just being really helpful, and just being in those rooms, and just talking sh—t through. I think it ultimately led to being in a space where we could just be like, ‘All right, let’s play.'”
She further added:
“I felt like I was, you know, filling the role of a leader, but also being led in many ways by their performances and how they show up to work every day.”
This harmonious collaboration between the leads promises to translate into powerful on-screen chemistry, evident in the trailer and likely to carry through the entire film.
ALSO READ: 'Completely Normal Part Of The Job': Zendaya Calls Out 'Odd' Attention Around Her Onscreen Kissing Scenes
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