Interview: Zendaya and Josh O’Connor on ‘Challengers’
Challengers marks a graduation of sorts for Zendaya. Somewhat literally, as it is one of the very few times in her decade-long career that she isn’t playing a teenager. It’s also, as she herself has noted, the very first time she is truly the lead of a movie that is set for a wide theatrical release. It’s a difficult concept to truly grasp, considering how ubiquitous she seems; on the cover of endless magazines (she is currently on the cover of British and US Vogue, a rare feat that only a few have done throughout Vogue history), on the posters for some of the biggest blockbusters released throughout the past decade, and, for awhile, on almost every TV screen on Sunday nights as the star of Euphoria, HBO’s second most-watched show after Game of Thrones. At times, she seems almost inescapable, particularly on social media, where she has amassed a huge following that eagerly awaits her next move with bated breath. To those who have not been paying attention, it may seem like an oversight on her or her team’s part; surely she had movie offer after movie offer coming in, particularly after her groundbreaking Emmy wins. But nothing Zendaya does is without design or purpose, as has become evident throughout the course of her career.
Zendaya started her career on the Disney Channel, where she first broke out as the star of the sitcom Shake It Up alongside Bella Thorne before shortly moving on to another Disney sitcom, K.C. Undercover, which lasted for three seasons, garnering a dedicated fanbase that still speaks about it fondly to this day. While she quietly built up her filmography, she, alongside stylist Law Roach, was also quietly working on establishing herself as a name and brand within the industry, walking every red carpet, hosting every pre-show, going to every after party and networking, networking, networking. It’s a process that must have taken not only a lot of patience on her part – she very easily could have done movie after movie, show after show, album after album before quietly burning out, as many a Disney child star has done before her – but also a very complex understanding of the industry she has been part of ever since she was a child. Zendaya has always had her eye on the long game, carefully selecting projects that not only showcase her talent but also challenge her creatively and push the boundaries of her career. This strategic approach has allowed her to transition smoothly from her Disney days to becoming one of the most versatile and respected actors and producers of her generation.
With Challengers, written by Justin Kuritzkes and directed by Luca Guadagnino, she takes another step forward as an actress and as a force, shaping not only her own career but the entertainment landscape at large. It’s a calculated, well thought-out move, one that speaks to her desire for growth, challenge, and artistic exploration. As the driven, headstrong Tashi, a former tennis champion who finds herself caught at a crossroads in both her personal life and professional career, she doesn’t just lead a film; she leads a narrative, guiding audiences through complex emotions and experiences with the grace and depth of a seasoned performer. It’s a testament to her talent, her dedication, and her vision, marking not just a milestone in her career but a promise of even greater heights yet to come; Challengers also marks the very first time a project that she has produced is set to open in a wide theatrical release, and if the response so far is anything to go by (Challengers currently sits at a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes and is set to debut with $15M+ at the domestic box office), she has both the talent and business acumen to help her conquer the big screen.
“I feel incredibly lucky to be in a position where I can start to learn more about producing, and become more confident and comfortable in that role,” she says of her experience producing the project. “I think ultimately for me, that role represents being able to look out for not just myself, but my fellow actors. I think it’s, like we’ve said and joked many times before, it’s like being the head of the cast department, making sure that everybody is proud of the work that they’re making and that they’re all comfortable. That’s a lesson I learned quite early, back in my Disney days, and I hope to continue to be able to be that voice for the cast, I suppose.”
Challengers also stars Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor as Art Donaldson and Patrick Zweig, Tashi’s husband and ex-boyfriend respectively. As former tennis champion Art finds himself on a losing streak, Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against Patrick, who himself is attempting to get Tashi to coach him as well. Echoing Zendaya’s sentiment of being a voice for the cast at large, O’Connor says he felt looked out for by the actress as he made the giant leap from independent film to a $50M studio project. “Zendaya has this ability to create a strong sense of support on set,” he says. “It’s not just about delivering lines; it’s about fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to do their best work. Working with her was not only professionally rewarding but personally enriching as well. I learned so much from her as both an actor and a person, lessons that I’ll take with me to every set moving forward.”
After becoming one of the most in-demand actors of his generation following his award-winning turn as Prince Charles in The Crown, O’Connor found himself filming two very different projects back-to-back in 2022: Alice Rohrwacher’s independent film La Chimera and Challengers, which he filmed in between the two halves of La Chimera. As different as both projects were in terms of plot and genre, O’Connor says they couldn’t have been more different in scale and scope either. “Well, first of all, the press tour for La Chimera is very different to the press tour for Challengers, that’s for sure,” he jokes. “But specifically, the filming of it was insane because we shot the first half of Alice’s film before we shot Challengers, and we shot the second half after. My body was very different when I came back to Italy [after filming Challengers] and I had to drop a lot of weight, so it was tough.”
In addition to the physical differences between his characters in both films, O’Connor says their personalities couldn’t have been more different either; Patrick is pompous and insufferable, cocky and charming in the ways only a seasoned pro-athlete can be, while Arthur, his La Chimera character, is more sensitive and introspective. “Both characters are totally different,” he stresses. “And I feel very fortunate that I got to play these very diverse roles in a short space of time. I also feel super lucky to have them coming out at the same time. Hopefully La Chimera will be seen by people, as will Challengers, and I think what’s been the big relief about coming to make Challengers, apart from [working with Zendaya and Faist], and the crew, who are all brilliant, was making a movie in my own language [La Chimera was filmed in Italian]. I’m quite relieved to have a break from that. But yeah, they were totally different characters and that is ultimately why I do what I do; I like playing roles that are diverse and different.”
As for what’s next, Zendaya says she’s still weighing her options – both Euphoria season 3 and the next Spider-Man film are currently in still development – but she’s hoping to take the lessons she’s learned from the set of Challengers to all of her next projects, both as an actress and a producer. “Ultimately, I learn from every experience and every project that I get to be a part of,” she says. “From the people that I get to work with, like Luca, like Justin. For example, learning from Justin and his ability to be open to being creative at any moment. His story about how a specific tennis match inspired him to create Challengers [Kuritzkes says watching the 2018 US Open final between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka inspired the film]… I’ve learned to be open to inspiration at any any moment in your life and being open to change, because the script changed many times, especially once Luca came on board. We were all in this room throwing ideas and thoughts at each other, and he was so wonderful at adapting, growing and learning, being open to change in that way. And what I learned from Luca is having the confidence in your vision, knowing what you want and knowing what you’re trying to create. Knowing how you’re going to do it, and leading with character and performance. Learning also from [co-stars Faist and O’Connor] too. So it’s very special to be in that creative role and I feel very grateful.”
Challengers will be released in theaters on April 26.