‘Challengers’ | Anatomy of a Scene

Hello, I’m Luca Guadagnino, and I am the director and one of the producers of ‘Challengers.’ In this sequence, we see the two male characters of ‘Challengers’— Patrick Zweig, played by Josh O’Connor, and Art Donaldson, played by Mike Faist — when they are in their early 20s. And they are very good tennis players. We meet them in Stanford, where Art is attending, while Patrick has left education to become a professional tennis player. This scene in particular depicts a moment, and evolution in their friendship that has been kind of diverted because of a third person came into their duo, which is Tashi Duncan, played by Zendaya. And what we see is basically a sort of game of rivalry sparkling between these two young boys over Tashi. But at the same time, a jealousy that ignites the relationship also. Because probably these two guys are also jealous of one another, not only of Tashi. “I think she’s making me an honest man. You don’t believe me?” “No, I’m just — I’m not sure how she’s thinking about all of this. I don’t want you to get hurt.” The character of Tashi is kind of an invisible presence, but a very profound presence in the scene. “Did she say something to you?” “No. I just got the impression she’s not thinking about this as a serious relationship.” And I kept the shot long, because I felt that we had to stay with them to learn the grammar of their behavior, and their behavior together. And we just cut once we realize that the game of manipulation laid bare on the table by Art has been spotted by Patrick. So we cut to a sort of reverse shot, extreme close up, where Patrick hugs, in a sort of ambiguous way. And so there is a sort of constant battle between the two of them to the degree that they are fighting, but they are taking care of one another. When the sugar goes on the cheek of Patrick, Art takes it off with his hand in a very nice gesture of kindness — and very intimate, I would say. But at the same time, they are really tense. And I think it’s about being jealous of one another, but at the same time wanting one another that we are trying to play out, and that Josh and Mike do in a beautiful way in the sequence.