Luca Guadagnino's latest film, Challengers, starring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist, has moved its world tour to Rome. The film, which explores themes of love, relationships, and tennis, marks Guadagnino's eighth directorial effort and follows his previous works like Call Me by Your Name and Bones and All.
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| Zendaya attends the premiere of the movie 'Challengers' on April 8 at Cinema Barberini in Rome, Italy. ELISABETTA A. VILLA/GETTY IMAGES |
Challengers tells the story of Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), a young tennis player whose career is cut short by a serious knee injury. She becomes a coach to her friend and fellow athlete, Art (Faist), whom she later marries. As Art's coach, Tashi decides to enroll him in the Challenger Tour, where he will compete against Patrick (O'Connor), Tashi's ex-boyfriend, leading to a complex love triangle.
The film's Roman premiere took place at Piazza Barberini, evoking the spirit of La Dolce Vita that characterized the Via Veneto area. With its captivating storyline and talented cast, Challengers promises to be a compelling addition to Guadagnino's filmography.
Zendaya and her co-stars emphasized the importance of creating a safe and comfortable environment on set, particularly during intimate scenes. The use of an intimacy coordinator helped ensure that boundaries were respected and that the actors felt secure. Zendaya highlighted the collaborative effort among the cast to build trust and rapport, both on and off-screen, through activities like tennis, outings, and rehearsals.
This bonding process not only helped the actors feel more at ease but also contributed to the authenticity of their on-screen relationships. Faist echoed Zendaya's sentiments, noting that the friendships formed off-screen played a crucial role in the chemistry and dynamics portrayed in the film.
Josh O'Connor expressed his admiration for working with Luca Guadagnino and the rest of the cast, highlighting the script's quality and the opportunity to portray a character different from himself. He emphasized the transformative nature of acting, where actors can inhabit roles that are distinct from their personal experiences. O'Connor also revealed his upcoming collaboration with Guadagnino in the adaptation of Pier Vittorio Tondelli's Separate Rooms.
The screenplay for Challengers was written by Justin Kuritzkes, who is also working on Guadagnino's next film, Queer, set to premiere later this year. Challengers was originally slated to open the 2023 Venice Film Festival but was delayed due to strikes in Hollywood. The film's premiere has been eagerly anticipated and is now making its way around the world on a promotional tour.
Producer Rachel O'Connor highlighted the challenges faced during the production of the film, particularly the short window available for shooting due to Zendaya's commitments to other projects, including Dune. Despite these challenges, O'Connor emphasized the passion and dedication of everyone involved in bringing Challengers to life.
Challengers is set to be released in Italian theaters on April 24 and in the U.S. on April 26. The film, produced by MGM and Pascal Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros., has been eagerly anticipated and promises to deliver a compelling story of love, relationships, and tennis, under the direction of Luca Guadagnino.
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