Challengers Cast & Character Guide

Summary Zendaya stars in the romantic sports drama "Challengers," which focuses on her character, Tasha, a former tennis prodigy.

The chemistry between the three central actors has led to the 2024 film's success.

The "Challengers" cast boasts talented actors like Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor, elevating the romantic conflict storyline.

The cast of Challengers contains popular actors and actresses, including Zendaya, bringing significant hype to this powerful romantic sports drama. The 2024 film, directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Justin Kuritzkes, centers its story on Zendaya's Tasha, a former tennis pro, now a coach, who transforms her husband into one of the most talented athletes in the world. When an ex-lover enters the game and threatens to defeat her husband, Tasha begins to crumble under pressure. While the Challengers cast is relatively small compared to other relevant highly-anticipated movies, the three stars are quite talented with impressive resumes.

Challengers relies heavily on the chemistry between its central actors to help sell its romantic conflict, without which the story likely doesn't work. As for the inspiration behind the 2024 sports drama's intense plot, Challengers is not based on a true story, but writer Justin Kuritzkes looked to real tennis pros and events while crafting the movie's characters and script. Plus, the stars underwent rigorous training to sell themselves as professional tennis players in the film, undoubtedly contributing to Challengers' overwhelming number of positive reviews, most of which praised the cast for their performances.

Challengers Cast Role Zendaya Tashi Duncan Mike Faist Art Donaldson Josh O'Connor Patrick Zweig AJ Lister Lily Donaldson Nada Despotovich Tashi's Mother Naheem Garcia Tashi's Father Hailey Gates Helen Jake Jensen Finn Larsen

Zendaya As Tashi Duncan

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Active Since: 2009

Actress: Zendaya was born in Oakland, California, where she remained throughout her childhood and began her career. She started modeling and dancing as a child while attending school and performing in numerous plays in local theaters. Ultimately, Zendaya didn't have to wait long to gain traction in the business as the actress' breakthrough role came when she was cast to play Rocky Blue in Shake It Up on Disney Channel when she was 14 years old. However, Zendaya gained further notoriety for starring as Rue Bennett in the HBO series Euphoria.

Zendaya won two Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Rue in Euphoria.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Role Movie/TV Show Rocky Blue Shake It Up K.C. Cooper K.C. Undercover Michelle "M.J." Jones-Watson Marvel Cinematic Universe (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home) Anne Wheeler The Greatest Showman Rue Bennett Euphoria Marie Jones Malcolm & Marie Chani Dune and Dune: Part Two Tashi Duncan Challengers

Character: In Challengers, Zendaya's Tashi Duncan is a teenage tennis prodigy who suffers a career-ending injury before her career even really begins. Tashi later becomes a coach who instructs her husband on how to succeed in the world of professional tennis. She's extremely determined and forceful with her training, pushing her partner to his limits to make him achieve his true potential and continue her legacy within the game. However, fans will have to see the movie to learn how Tashi's story concludes in Challengers' ending.

Mike Faist As Art Donaldson

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Active Since: 2011

Actor: Mike Faist was born in Gahanna, Ohio, and he knew he wanted to pursue a career in the performing arts from a young age. After graduating high school in 2009, Faist moved to New York to achieve his dreams. However, Faist's first real job came two years later when he originated the role of Morris Delancey in Newsies. The actor started booking parts in independent movies, and Faist's breakthrough came when he starred as Connor Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway. His first major film role was as Riff in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story.

In 2018, Mike Faist won a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album and a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program (both for Dear Evan Hansen). He was also nominated for a Tony for Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Role Movie/TV Show/Stage Production Morris Delancey Newsies Connor Murphy Dear Evan Hansen Lawrence Wildling Riff West Side Story Dodge Mason Panic Roger Sharpe Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game Danny Lyon The Bikeriders Jack Twist Brokeback Mountain Art Donaldson Challengers

Character: Art Donaldson, played by Faist, is Tashi's husband, whom she met as a teenager in the tennis movie Challengers. Art began his career as an amateur tennis player and allowed his wife to mold him into one of the world's fiercest talents in the game. He works toward a Career Grand Slam, but despite his countless achievements, he begins to lose touch and enters a downward spiral of losing after an injury. When he enters a low-level tournament to help bring himself back, Art finds himself face-to-face with his former best friend and Tashi's ex-lover.

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Josh O'Connor As Patrick Zweig

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Active Since: 2012

Actor: Josh O'Connor was born in Southhampton, England, but grew up in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. Like his co-stars, O'Connor began acting from a young age when he participated in school productions. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School before moving to London to pursue a career in the performing arts, where he landed numerous small roles on television and in theater. However, O'Connor's breakthrough came when he starred as Johnny Saxby in God's Own Country in 2017. The actor's most recognizable role, though, is as Prince Charles in The Crown.

Josh O'Connor won a British Independent Film Award for Best Actor for his work in God's Own Country, and he received an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Prince Charles in The Crown.

Notable Movies & TV Shows:

Role Movie/TV Show James Peaky Blinders Lawrence Durrell The Durrells Johnny Saxby God's Own Country Prince Charles The Crown Mr. Elton Emma Arthur La chimera Patrick Zweig Challengers

Character: Josh Connor's Patrick Zweig was Art's best friend and romantically involved with Tashi in Challengers, but they all have a falling out. Patrick also had a very successful career in the tennis industry, but much like his old friend, his talents didn't last forever, and he quickly found himself on a never-ending losing streak that sent him to a dark place. Several years later, O'Connor's character reunites with Tashi and Art when he finds himself in the same low-level competition as the latter. But their determination to rise back to the top causes tension among the trio.

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Challengers Supporting Cast & Characters

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AJ Lister as Lily Donaldson - Zendaya's new movie Challengers' mostly revolves around Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor's characters. But, of course, there are some other relatively important figures in the film, like AJ Lister's Lily Donaldson, Tashi and Art's daughter. As a young actress, Lister hasn't appeared in many projects, but before Challengers, she starred as Lila in Birth/Rebirth.

Nada Despotovich as Tashi's Mother - Nada Despotovich plays Tashi's mother in the 2024 romantic sports drama film, and viewers may recognize the actress from Moonstruck, Jerry Maguire, or Castle Rock.

Naheem Garcia as Tashi's Father - Zendaya's character's dad is portrayed by Naheem Garcia, who previously had roles in R.I.P.D., The Purge: Election Year, The Holdovers, and Madame Web.

Hailey Gates as Helen - Hailey Gates briefly appears in Challengers as Helen, one of Patrick's dates. Aside from the 2024 movie, Gates has starred in Ricki and the Flash and guest starred in Twin Peaks: The Return.

Jake Jensen as Finn Larsen - Jake Jensen plays Finn Larsen, a tennis player, in the romantic sports drama. While watching Challengers, the audience may recognize Jensen from King Richard.