Zendaya showed off her inner femme fatale by posing for a flashy photoshoot while promoting the film Challengers.
The 26-year-old actress looked sensational in ELLE’s September 2023 issue, stripping down to her underwear and modeling in some striking ensembles.
Zendaya takes center stage in her new film as rising tennis star Tasha Duncan, who catches the eye of fellow players and best friends Patrick and Art, played by Josh O’Connor and Mike Feist, sparking a tense love triangle.
The trailer left fans confused as it depicted the star having a threesome with her love interests, with Zendaya revealing that while it was “risky” to take on the role, she wanted to push herself.
Zendaya explained, “In terms of character, I want to find things that push me. You know, when I get older, I can’t play a teenager for the rest of my life.
“I felt it was a good step into a more, I guess you could say ‘adult’ role and into the next phase. It was a little scary to take it on and I think it’s a good feeling.
“To say, ‘Oh, can I do this?’ You can run away from this feeling and stay safe and comfortable, or you can say, “You know what the hell.”
View this post on Instagram
Although she admitted that she did not understand Tasha’s motives, she enjoyed playing the unapologetic character.
She explained, “I still don’t understand the decisions she makes and we had so many conversations about her psychology and why she is like this.
“It was important to me that she didn’t apologize about it.
“Sometimes characters that are messy, conflicted, and have power over other people are meant for [actors] who aren’t like me, so when I get the chance to play that character, I’ll take it!”
To take on the role of an athlete, Zendaya went through three months of intense tennis training and showed she has a newfound respect for athletes who compete and perform at the same time.
“The more I had to pretend that I was doing tennis in front of the camera and the public, the more scared I was,” she admitted. “And I didn’t even use a real ball.”
“I’m just working on technique and footwork and doing the right swing and doing it in front of a whole bunch of people like it’s the US Open and I’m terrified.”
View this post on Instagram
The prominent role marked a departure from her acting roots as a child and in the Spider-Man franchise.
For years, she was known for her family work, until she landed the role of a troubled teen drug addict in Euphoria.
The controversial series became an instant hit and took Zendaya to a new level she had never experienced before.
She admitted that she started canceling meetings with friends because she did not want to go out and “spoil” their evenings with all the attention she attracted.
Recalling one moment when she realized she had found new fame, she revealed that fans started taking pictures of her when she had a problem with her card while shopping.
She thought, “I thought, ‘Why?’ You see, I’m excited!
