Why You Should Know the Challengers Cast

Why You Should Know the Challengers Cast

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the three central stars from “Challengers” and why you should be following each of their careers.

From A to Zendaya

Of this trio, Zendaya is the one who needs no introduction. Of course, Zendaya has come so far that it’s easy to forget where she started. The youngest of six siblings, Zendaya was already well-versed in theater and dance when her family moved to L.A. where she attended high school. Zendaya booked several commercials, most prognostically as a backup dancer in a Sears ad featuring Selena Gomez. Just as Disney Channel put Gomez on the map, Zendaya became an icon to a generation raised on “Shake It Up.” Although she auditioned for CeCe Jones, a role that went to Bella Thorne, Zendaya was cast as co-lead Rocky Blue, launching her into the mainstream as an actress and singer with singles like “Swag It Out.”

Zendaya’s star kept rising with Disney Channel productions like “Frenemies,” “Zapped,” and the series “K.C. Undercover,” but she reached a new frontier of fame with her first theatrical film, “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” She played Peter Parker’s loner classmate turned friend turned love interest Michelle, who many correctly predicted would be the MCU’s MJ. At the time, her casting generated some “controversy” with skin color at the center. The discourse quickly became an afterthought as Zendaya turned Michelle into a fan favorite throughout three films. Zendaya’s string of high-profile roles continued with “The Greatest Showman,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” and the “Dune” movies. Critics felt she gave her most powerful performance to date on TV, winning multiple Primetime Emmys for playing Rue Bennett in “Euphoria.”

By 2024, Zendaya was among Hollywood’s biggest stars, leaving her mark in almost every medium and regularly slaying the red carpet. Yet, “Challengers” was her first theatrical film as the lead. While Zendaya was the co-lead in 2021’s “Malcolm & Marie,” that drama was a Netflix exclusive. In Luca Guadagnino’s tennis love triangle, Zendaya plays Tashi Duncan, a rising star poised to join the same ranks as Venus and Serena. After a career-ending injury, though, she channels her energy into two male athletes, seeking to make one of them the best. Just as all eyes are on Tashi, audiences will mainly go to “Challengers” for Zendaya. While Zendaya delivers another commanding performance, audiences should be equally enthralled by her co-stars, asking where they’ve seen them before.

Josh O’Connor’s Hollywood Coronation

Born in Southampton, England, Josh O’Connor started honing his acting skills at age seven, playing the Scarecrow in his school’s production of “The Wizard of Oz.” O’Connor continued to pursue acting well into high school, providing an outlet for him to overcome his dyslexia. By his early 20s, the British actor started landing one-off roles on shows like “Lewis” and “Doctor Who.” He’d receive more prominent guest spots on “Peaky Blinders” and “Ripper Street” while balancing work in theatre and independent films. Hitting the mainstream movie scene, O’Connor booked small roles in 2015’s “Cinderella” and “Florence Foster Jenkins.” Critics noticed his potential as a lead in the LGBTQIA+ romance “God’s Own Country,” helping O’Connor score a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination.

O’Connor went from rising star to certified star as Prince (now King) Charles on Seasons 3 and 4 of “The Crown.” Initially, he was reluctant to audition, believing there wasn’t much to Charles beyond being “a very rich and posh man.” O’Connor became more intrigued after reading Charles’ “Dangling Man” monologue. Charles’ whole life is building toward becoming king, but he can’t fulfill his purpose until his mother dies. Until then, Charles spends most of his youth being mistreated at school and driven away from the woman he loves while receiving little affection from his mother. Where Season 3 establishes Charles as an empathetic figure, the audience’s sympathies shift to Princess Diana in Season 4 as her husband sours into a more controlling, callous character.

O’Connor compared Charles’ transformation to Walter White. Like “Breaking Bad,” “The Crown” was an awards darling, winning O’Connor the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Emmy for his farewell season. While Dominic West inherited the Charles role moving forward, O’Connor’s career didn’t slow down. He’d appear as Mr. Elton in the 2020 adaptation of “Emma” and one-half of the star-crossed lovers in a filmed stage production of “Romeo and Juliet.” In “Challengers,” O’Connor plays Patrick Zweig, a fading tennis star who lost his girlfriend, best friend, and drive on the court. Through a Challenger event, he may be able to reclaim at least one of the above. O’Connor gives one of his most transformative performances, but you’re only as good as your opponent.

Mike Faist, Taking Off Like a Jet

Like O’Connor, one of Faist’s earliest acting gigs was in a “Wizard of Oz” production, playing a member of the Lollipop Guild. The Ohio native was encouraged by his adoptive parents to pursue his passion, starring in school productions of “Grease” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Before moving to New York, Faist connected with his birth mother, learning that he came from a family of pilots. Faist later got a pilot license of his own, but the stage remained his dream destination. After originating the antagonistic role of Morris Delancey in the regional production of “Newsies,” Faist became the Broadway understudy for the lead Jack Kelly. Following a few Off-Broadway stints, he returned to The Great White Way as Connor Murphy in “Dear Evan Hansen.”

Faist’s turn as the troubled Connor earned him a Daytime Emmy and Grammy in addition to his first Tony nomination. Some, including Quentin Tarantino, felt Faist also should’ve gotten an Oscar nomination for his performance as Riff in 2021’s “West Side Story.” By this point, Faist had taken on several supporting roles in independent films, making his feature debut almost a decade earlier in “The Unspeakable Act.” Working with Steven Spielberg significantly raised his Hollywood profile, however. Faist had the singing chops and graceful dance steps, but he also brought greater depth to the self-destructive leader of the Jets. Beyond protecting his gang’s territory, Faist’s take on Riff feels as if he’s being erased in America’s changing landscape and would much sooner die than surrender.

While Faist continued to work with other high-profile directors like Jeff Nichols in “The Bikeriders,” he didn’t abandon his roots. Faist returned to the stage in a West End production of “Brokeback Mountain.” Acting opposite Lucas Hedges, Faist put a fresh twist on Jack Twist, who can never be with the man he loves beyond their secret sanctuary. When Josh O’Connor starred in “God’s Own Country,” it earned comparison to a modern “Brokeback Mountain.” It’s serendipitous that Faist and O’Connor would star as friends turned opponents in “Challengers.” As Art Donaldson, Faist plays a tennis pro whose comeback match may save his marriage, but will further strain a bitter rivalry. However you read Art and Patrick’s relationship, the court finds both at their most intense.

A Triple Grand Slam

As well-crafted as “Challengers” is, the film wouldn’t work without the charisma of its three leads. The trio propelled “Challengers” to the top of the box office on its opening weekend, but it’s only a pitstop for each of them. In the years to come, Zendaya is expected to reprise two of her biggest roles in Season 3 of “Euphoria” and “Dune: Messiah.” O’Connor is set to star alongside Paul Mescal in the romantic drama “The History of Sound.” After making its debut at Telluride, “The Bikeriders” will be coming to commercial theaters in June 2024, giving viewers their Faist fix. The real challenge is selecting an MVP with all three of these actors currently at the top of their game.

Who do you think gave the best performance in “Challengers?” Deliver the first serve in the comments.