It feels like barely a day goes by without another killer red carpet appearance by Zendaya. She's been acing the thematic press tour dressing – we're talking archive Louis Vuitton and custom Loewe with tennis-inspired touches – so much so that we've almost forgotten about the film behind it all: Challengers.
A new feature from Luca Guadagnino, the director behind Call Me by Your Name and Bones and All, the film focuses on tennis and a love triangle. The plot follows fictional player Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), who goes from Grand Slam champion to coach and sets up a match between her husband (Mike Faist) and former lover (Josh O'Connor).
Apparently, despite the fact that there are no actual sex scenes, it's a sensual film with a lot of tension (both sexual and emotional) at its centre. Speaking at the Rome premiere on April 8, Zendaya gave a little insight into the filming process.
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'We had an intimacy coordinator which was fantastic and very helpful, because it was important that we felt safe,' she said on the red carpet of the Italian premiere. 'I spoke with my colleagues so that we could find a way to feel at ease. We played tennis together, we went out together, we rehearsed together. We got to bond and feel good with each other.'
Faist, Zendaya's co-star who's previously appeared in the 2021 film adaptation of West Side Story, agreed.
'We were able to spend time together during rehearsals and beyond, especially with Josh,' he explained, speaking from the same red carpet. 'We were able to get to know each other as people before we could get into the film. We created a real friendship that created the basis of the film.'
Commenting on the subject again, Zendaya reiterated her positive experience of filming. 'The intimate scenes were so good, I loved it,' she told The Mirror. 'I felt very lucky to be partnered with those guys. And for whatever the moment, it always felt like they always had my back and I had theirs.'
It sounds like the movie will be just as compelling as the sartorial triumphs of the press tour.
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