In her new film Challengers, Zendaya discussed the difficulties she faced while filming the tennis scenes. Zendaya is playing a tennis prodigy Tashi in the Luca Guadagnino-directed film. In the movie, after suffering an injury, she eventually turns into a coach and finds herself in the heart of a love triangle that features the other two male leads.
The 26-year-old Emmy winner admitted to being “terrified” while portraying the tennis sequences in front of a crowd to ELLE. Talking about the ball she used in her scenes, she said, “I was not even using a real ball” and yet she still felt terrified of pretend-playing on screen.
She also revealed how she had to perfectly portray her form on camera. The footwork and getting the swing right in front of a whole audience made her feel like she was playing at the US Open. She confessed how later on after going through rigorous practice, she developed a deeper respect for athletes who perform and compete at the same time.
Zendaya is known to give 100 percent to all of the characters she plays, and ‘Challengers’ is no different. She trained like a professional tennis player for the movie. Brad Gilbert, a former professional tennis player who also serves as the film’s adviser, helped her train for three months.
Zendaya was applauded by the Director for her dedication to the role
Zendaya trained hard for her role in her upcoming movie, ‘Challengers’ and it shows. She has been receiving compliments for her form and gameplay from tennis fans and gurus alike. From her director, Luca Guadagnino to Bastien Fachan, everyone has been praising the Euphoria star for her gameplay.
In October, Luca, the director of the film, revealed how Zendaya did almost all of her tennis scenes herself. He added they did not have the need for a body double because she was “that good.” “I mean, wow,” confessed Luca while editing the movie.
Zendaya’s forehand swing is immaculate pic.twitter.com/SHHwOYNUMM
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) June 20, 2023
When asked about the reason for playing such a complex character on screen, Zendaya said that she did not want to miss the opportunity to play a character like Tashi. Zendaya admitted that she found it difficult to comprehend the motivations of her character. She revealed they had several discussions about the psychology of Tashi. Nonetheless, she took the difficult job head-on and delivered yet another fine job.