Zendaya ‘Felt So Bad’ for Josh O’Connor While Filming ‘Challengers’: ‘I’m Constantly Just Slapping You and Spitting on You’

Zendaya is apologizing for her “Challengers” character Tashi’s actions…sort of, or at least when it comes to how she treated her romance with Patrick, played by Josh O’Connor.

Zendaya admitted to Vanity Fair that she “felt so bad” filming certain sequences alongside co-star O’Connor, especially that viral scene where Tashi spits on Patrick before once again consummating their twisted relationship.

“Man, I felt so bad with Josh. I was like, ‘I’m constantly just slapping you, and spitting on you. This is just so awful, I’m so sorry,'” Zendaya said. “He was just so cool about it.”

As for Tashi, she added, “I’m like, ‘Goodness, girl, you gotta keep your hands off people.'”

Zendaya credited O’Connor and fellow star Mike Faist for grounding the film.

“I’m really lucky because they are just the most lovely guys,” she said. “When you’re in a film like that, where it’s really just the three of us and the characters are also intimately involved and emotionally intertwined with each other, it’s really important that whoever you’re acting beside not only is talented, which they clearly obviously are, but is also lovely and makes you feel safe and supported as a scene partner. They both definitely offered that space.”

Zendaya continued, “We also had a lot of fun. We all appreciate and take our jobs seriously, [but] not too seriously, you know what I mean? We still enjoy the process. We can laugh and have fun, and joke around and also still be present when we need to. It was nice to have that levity.”

And the “Challengers” trio are still very much in touch.

“There’s a group chat,” Zendaya confirmed. “I say I’m the mom of the group because I’m always like, ‘Hey guys, checking in. Hope you’re OK.’ And to give them credit they do respond. Mike is the worst at responding, but we let that go.”

Hopefully O’Connor and Faist’s support will also carry on to Zendaya’s next projects, including “Euphoria” Season 3. Zendaya will also be starring in Christopher Nolan‘s next film alongside her “Spider-Man” co-star and life partner Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, and Matt Damon.

“I’m actually going to start filming a project soon before ‘Euphoria,’ and I’m like, man, I’m rusty. I haven’t been on a set in, like, two years almost. I’m a little bit terrified. I’m like, can I even do this anymore? I don’t know,” Zendaya said. “To be fair, I get that feeling every time I go onto a new project. You’re always like, What am I even doing? On that first day on set, you’re like, I was terrible. I was shit. Everyone hates me. I’m going to get fired tomorrow. And when the director’s like, ‘You did a great job,’ you’re like, ‘You’re lying. You’re actually lying to me.’ […] What I’ve been really lucky with is working with great filmmakers and great collaborators, people who really support your ideas, and help guide you as well in the process.”

As for “Euphoria,” Zendaya confirmed production will begin in January 2025.

“I haven’t read anything yet, but I’m excited to see what everyone has been working on, and what the future looks like for ‘Euphoria,'” Zendaya said. “My most important thing is to do justice by the people who love and care about Rue, and make sure that she’s looked after as a character. I think that’s my number one duty.”

She concluded, “I feel like the right parts find you in the same way you find them. Sometimes you might be developing something and it just falls through. I remember many years ago, there was a project I was working on that fell through. We were supposed to shoot, and then a month before, it fell apart. And then I got this script for ‘Euphoria,’ and that ended up shooting in its slot. I was like, ‘Oh my God, thank God that movie fell apart!’ But at the time we were like, ‘Shit.’ There was really a reason for all of it. I try to go with my feelings. Honestly, it’s really hard to get me to finish a script, because I get sidetracked really easily. When something can make me read it to the end and keeps me engaged, then I know that it’s something that I want to do.”