Who is Mike Faist, Zendaya’s co-star in new film Challengers alongside Josh O’Connor? The West Side Story actor learned tennis for his role, but what did Steven Spielberg say about his dancing?
Accompanying her on premieres and press junkets are her co-stars Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, whom she undoubtedly had a hand in casting since Challengers marks her debut as a producer.
Here, we look at the 32-year-old’s journey as an actor and what led him to his latest role in Challengers.
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Mike Faist has a background in theatre
Growing up, Faist always had a love for theatre. He starred in classic productions, including The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland in local theatres, per his IMDB. After a year at the American Musical and Drama Academy, he dropped out to audition for off-Broadway shows.
The Ohio native made his debut across the Atlantic in London’s West End in 2023, starring as Jack Twist in the stage adaptation of Brokeback Mountain.
He can sing … but is less confident about his dancing
Having studied at the American Musical and Drama Academy, albeit for just a year, it’s no surprise the actor is just as good a singer. His vocal talent came in handy when he joined the cast of Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of West Side Story. Playing Jets leader Riff, his performance nabbed him a Bafta nod for best actor in a supporting role.
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While he’s belted a tune or two for roles, he hasn’t been as confident about his dancing. Despite having taken dance lessons as a kid, he hesitated to dance during the audition for West Side Story. In an interview, he shared, “I’m not good enough. I had no business being in that room, quite frankly. These were some of the best dancers in the world.”
Spielberg however, did not quite agree. The director called him “one-of-a-kind” and reportedly said, “He can do absolutely anything.”
He had to learn tennis for Challengers – and it was hard
In a recent interview with GQ to promote Challengers, in which he plays a tennis pro, Faust shared that he had to learn the sport from the ground up. He revealed that he was on his high school’s tennis team for a season after failing to get into the school play.
- Faist stars in new film Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino, alongside Zendaya and Josh O’Connor – and shared he had to learn tennis from scratch even though he played it in high school
- The Tony Award-nominated actor debuted in London’s West End last year, playing in the stage adaptation of Brokeback Mountain – director Steven Spielberg even called him ‘one-of-a-kind’