Yahoo Lifestyle The “Challengers” cast honored by Naomi Osaka as one of EW's 2024 Entertainers of the Year
The U.S. Open and Australian Open winner celebrates the movie's stars, Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist, for putting tennis "at the forefront of pop culture."
Come onnnnn! One of the best movies of 2024 — THE best, if you ask us — Luca Guadagnino's Challengers isn't just a story about ambition and betrayal and desire but a cultural phenomenon. In addition to that hot (and deliciously calculated) hotel room kiss, stars Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist traveled the world, mounting one of the most compelling marketing campaigns ever as they played into Tashi, Patrick, and Art's love triangle at the center of the film, which has earned four Golden Globe nominations, among many others. The titular Challengers competition was fierce and exciting, propelled by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor's irresistible score. And sure, the movie also made us and so many others want to buy a tennis skirt, or an I Told Ya T-shirt, or devour some churros with our bestie.
Who better to celebrate the tennis-playing trio than two-time U.S. Open and two-time Australian Open winner Naomi Osaka? She honors the the cast of the film, below.
The cultural impact of Challengers was undeniable this year. I remember first seeing the trailer and being so intrigued by the fact that a major blockbuster film was going to be about tennis. I can’t remember a time when tennis culture was so at the forefront of pop culture. When it was released back in April, it felt like every time I opened social media, I was seeing something Challengers-related. I was in Europe at the time, in the thick of clay court season, and distinctly remember several of Zendaya’s red carpet looks that had nods to tennis culture. As someone who loves integrating fashion into my tennis, it was exciting to see her bridge fashion and sport on such a global scale. I and several other players have been bridging the gap, but Zendaya certainly pushed it over the line and solidified “tennis core” as a mainstay in pop/fashion culture.
Tashi’s passion and ambition for the game was very relatable. She wanted so badly to win, as I and so many others on tour do. I empathized when she went through her injury and wanted to rush her recovery (we’ve all been there!). When you’ve been playing a sport for as long as you can remember, it’s easy for it to feel like it determines your self-worth and identity. It’s certainly something I’ve struggled with over the years. Separating your self-worth and identity from tennis isn’t easy and it’s taken me years and having a child to finally come to terms with that. Watching Tashi grapple with that same feeling throughout the film was very validating as I think that sentiment transcends tennis and can resonate with just about anyone and anything.
Related: Challengers cast and director explain that intense ending: 'Everyone's right and everyone's wrong'
There are characteristics of Tashi, Art, and Patrick in most professional tennis players. At the end of the day, they are all highly competitive and complex individuals who want to win at any cost, and that’s a trait that all tennis players need in order to compete at the highest level. I also enjoyed how the coach-to-player relationship was explored, which I don’t feel is done often. The film captured the essence of tennis as a sport through its authentic representation, diverse characters, and innovative storytelling. I hope that the commercial success of the film inspires many more tennis-centric stories to be told on the big screen.
EW's 2024 Entertainers of the Year
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
