Zendaya revealed what helps her and her co-stars Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist feel comfortable while filming the romantic scenes in the upcoming film ‘Challengers.’
“We have an intimacy coordinator on set. This is great and very helpful because it makes us feel safe,” Zendaya shared with The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet for the Challengers premiere in Italy on April 8.
‘Challengers’ is a film about love, relationships, and tennis, featuring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist. The story revolves around the ambitious young woman Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), who finds herself in a love triangle with two colleagues, Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor). After suffering a severe knee injury, Tashi has to give up her career and becomes Art’s coach, whom she marries. Following a series of wins, she registers her husband for the Challenger Tour, where she must face Patrick, her ex-boyfriend.
The film’s trailer caused a stir by revealing intimate scenes between Zendaya and her two male co-stars. Zendaya noted that she, along with Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, found ways to avoid awkwardness when filming the steamy scenes. “We played tennis, hung out, and trained together. Because of this, we bonded and understood each other better,” the actress explained.
Mike Faist also confirmed this, adding, “I spent time with my co-stars during rehearsals and beyond, especially with Josh. We were able to get to know each other as friends before we started filming, and we developed a real friendship.”
Meanwhile, Josh O’Connor praised his co-stars and the filmmakers: “It’s an honor to have the film directed by Luca Guadagnino. The script is fantastic, and the cast, Mike and Zendaya included, is amazing. Honestly, what attracted me to the role of Patrick was how different he is from me.”
Josh O’Connor also mentioned that one of the things that makes the film come alive is the shared passion everyone has for this project and their dedication to it.
