It is not easy to get the attention of Zendaya, the most popular actress of her generation in Hollywood and who is showered with offers. At 27 years old, Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, whose first name was invented by her father, has been on several screens. Her last steps place her in a very different place from that of the rising star of the Disney Channel, and even from when she dared to destroy her own image by playing a drug-addicted and promiscuous girl in Euphoria, the series that earned her two Emmys. and a Golden Globe.
Already one of the most popular actresses of the moment, with few good roles that include the Dune and Spider-Man franchises and a third season of the HBO series still without a release date, the fifth daughter of a mixed marriage of Maestros also has a side as a singer and another as a businesswoman in the world of fashion, with her own clothing line in collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger. To that we must add hordes of devoted fans on social networks driven by her three-year relationship with actor Tom Holland, and having become an icon of female beauty, official face of brands such as Lancôme, Bulgari and Valentino. .
If this multifaceted woman who also has ambitions to work behind the camera is missing something, it is an Oscar nomination, and that is why every time a good opportunity arises, she does not let it pass. When powerhouse producer Amy Pascal (Spider-Man) sent her Justin Kuritzkes' original script about the troubled, decades-long relationship of a professional tennis player with two childhood friends who simultaneously fall in love with her at 18, she didn't know. he thought about it. The film, directed by the prestigious Luca Guadagnino (Call me by your name) has the perfect combination of tennis, sex and humor to capture the attention of the Academy.
In Rivals, Zendaya plays Tashi, a former professional player who is the wife and manager of a famous tennis player, Art Donaldson (Mike Feist, from West Side story). The arrival of a contender who will face him in a tournament, Patrick Zweig, led by the rising British Josh O'Connor, will awaken passions that they thought were muted.
Also a producer of the film, after traveling halfway around the world promoting the film, when Zendaya arrives at the Maybourne hotel lounge in the heart of Beverly Hills, her presence fills the room. Dressed in a short skirt and a simple blouse and scarf around her neck, she exudes maturity and continues to have the unique bearing that made her a teenage protagonist. At 27 years old, having become a generational idol, she has left her withdrawn character behind for years. “I was always a very shy girl; “Sports and dance brought me out of my shell,” she acknowledged in an interview in the middle of the pandemic, after the premiere of Malcolm and Marie. The shell jumped into the air. Today Zendaya seems to have no limits.
How did you get involved with 'Rivales'?
When they offered me the project I was recording Euphoria. Everyone in the industry knows that when I'm working I have a hard time paying attention to anything other than what I'm going to do the next day on set. My agent convinced me to go to his house to read the script aloud. And I fell in love. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. Furthermore, the idea of participating made me very nervous, because it is evident that these characters are very complicated.
He liked Justin Kuritzkes' script.
I wasn't very sure what kind of film it was going to be. I thought it was very funny, but I couldn't say it was a comedy. And there is a good amount of drama. But I wouldn't say it's a tragedy either. It also had tennis, but it wasn't a sports movie. That feeling that there were many things at the same time in this beautiful way seemed terrifying to me, but at the same time exciting and stimulating. On the other hand, it was a character I had never seen before, and obviously had not been offered to me either. That terrified me. And at the same time it made me think that maybe I had to do the project.
What was it that decided you?
When I found out that Luca Guadagnino had read the script and was interested in directing it, it was like a dream, because I have been a big fan of his work for a long time. We had once met at a Fenty brand dinner in Italy. He was very kind and sweet to me. He helped me order a vegetarian option because I don't speak Italian. I always hoped that one day I would be able to work with him. And the idea that he was going to be in this movie was magical to me. We got in touch and talked on Zoom. In that meeting I understood, and so did he, what kind of film we wanted to create. He understood these characters in a very deep way, to the point that we joked about what perfume Tashi wears before going to sleep. They're all little details that are very important, so I could tell that he completely understood who this woman was. In a way he saw her. And he had that same talent with the other characters. That made him feel like it was an obvious yes to me.
How was your preparation to behave like a professional tennis player?
We were lucky enough to do what I call a summer tennis camp. It was wonderful. Because we basically had six weeks before filming started to just focus on learning how to play well. We all have the support and guidance of Brad Gilbert, a truly incredible iconic player. Honestly, my ignorance of tennis was total when we started preparing. I only knew about the existence of Venus and Serena Williams. And of course, this was an important part, that it was an impressive challenge for me. Tashi is supposed to be a great player. When I entered a court for the first time she was very nervous. Not just me, Josh and Mike too. The three of us prepared together, side by side. Luckily, we had already rehearsed the dramatic scenes. Having that time to work on the script was a true privilege, because it allowed us to get to know each other.
Did you learn quickly?
No. During the time we spent training as tennis players, I went crazy trying to become a professional player. At first I had to learn the basics. I remember that when I started hitting the ball, I always sent it towards the tree area. She couldn't even get him to go to the other side of the court. In those moments she made me realize everything I needed to learn. The problem is that tennis is not a sport that you can learn like that, out of nowhere. Unless you've been playing it since you were four, you're not going to suddenly become a pro. I would go to the court one day and feel like I had understood everything and, the next day, nothing would come out. It's not something you can easily recreate. Plus, I still wore glasses. Then I had Lasik surgery, but at that time, without the glasses I couldn't see anything.
How did you solve it?
I had to change my strategy, because the one I was using wasn't working. Every time I saw a ball coming my way, everything I had learned was forgotten. But little by little and with the help of Luca, everything took shape, because each shot in the tennis sequences was meticulously choreographed. Everything was very well thought out and carried out meticulously. I realized that I had to take it as choreography. I'm a dancer, so I decided I had to dance the tennis matches. I took it that way.
And with the help of some doubles...
I wanted to synchronize my work with that of my double. I tried to understand how he moved his feet, how he positioned his body, so that it was as fluid as possible. I tried to become his mirror. I filmed myself next to her and saw it on video. I realized that she could improve my movements. That she could use my arms in a different way, and also my shoulders. Obviously, she moved her feet very quickly. I knew she was never going to turn me into a professional, but she could seem like one. It was a very intense training for everyone. Let's say that the three of us suffer together.
Do you feel like Tashi is the villain of the story? Or does she think she is misunderstood?
I prefer to think that he is a character who doesn't have to be liked by others and doesn't care if he doesn't like you. He doesn't ask for your forgiveness either. I'm sure a lot of people find that really refreshing. And that's what struck me when I read the script. Precisely for that reason I wanted to interpret it. That's why at the screenings I attended before the premiere, I asked the audience not to judge her too harshly, because I think people's general instinct is to judge others. And it's very easy to do it with these characters. It's normal, we all do it.
Out with prejudices.
The wonderful thing about this film is that your appreciation of the characters will change. It happens to me every time I watch the movie. It even happened to me every time I reread the script. In that first reading I had certain prejudices about the characters, and then Josh and Mike arrived, and simply with their interpretations the way I saw them changed. I think viewers are going to have a certain initial reaction and then appreciate them in a different way.
