How Zendaya rose to every challenge in ‘Challengers’

Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist talk about serving up love triangle drama as tennis pros in “Challengers.”

Not that the film needs one, but “Challengers” actor Josh O’Connor has an alternate title idea in case the need arises: “This could be called ‘Co-dependency: The movie.’” “That was our other title!” Zendaya quips. “Challengers” – its official title – is a tennis drama from director Luca Guadagnino that serves up a thrilling love triangle and seductive performances by Zendaya, O’Connor and Mike Faist. It is set to be released this month after being delayed from its initial September 2023 release date due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. As tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan, Zendaya takes on the leading role different from anything audiences have seen from her before in projects like “The Greatest Showman” and the “Spider-Man” film franchise. In “Challengers,” Tashi becomes the object of affection for childhood best friends and fellow tennis talents, Art (Faist) and Patrick (O’Connor), as they both vie for her heart. When Tashi suddenly faces a career-ending injury at the height of her potential, she pivots to coaching, altering the course of the trio’s relationship and setting up a host of new challenges. “It’s like we’re seeing these people in real time, watching their lives cometogether and fall apart,” Zandaya said.