Zendaya Calls Out "Weird" Interview Questions About Kissing Her Challengers Co-Stars

23 April 2024, 16:19 | Updated: 23 April 2024, 16:26

By Katie Louise Smith

"If it was somebody else here, you probably wouldn’t be asked that question."

[Capital Buzz, previously known as PopBuzz. New name, same content.]

Zendaya has HAD it! Officially! Stop asking her about what it's like to kiss her co-stars. It's getting very weird. She's answered them as politely as she can, but she's now personally calling it out.

Unless you've been living under a rock over the past few weeks, you'll know that Zendaya has been well and truly serving on the Challengers press tour alongside her co-stars Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor.

During several of those interviews and red carpet appearances, Z has had to field countless comments about her romantic scenes with both Mike and Josh.

Some of the questions have provided genuinely interesting answers from the trio, like what it was like to work with an intimacy coordinator. But other questions ("Who's the better kisser?") have been criticised by fans and now Zendaya is addressing the double standard.

• Read more: Zendaya Brilliantly Swerves Awkward Kiss Question On Challengers Press Run
• Read more: Zendaya Opens Up About The Weight Of Being Her Family's Breadwinner As A Child

While sitting down to discuss the film with journalist Jake Hamilton, Zendaya was asked whether she thinks people have forgotten that an actor's job sometimes involves kissing other actors, or whether they're simply using it as an excuse to get her to talk about kissing.

For both Dune: Part Two and Challengers, there has been an increasing amount of attention on Zendaya kissing her co-stars.

In response to Jake's question, Zendaya said: "I don't know if it's because they want it to be like a viral thing, I don't know. But I have noticed that, with me specifically. I feel like other actors don't– If it was somebody else here, you probably wouldn’t be asked that question."

She continued: "It is a part of my job, and it's a completely normal part of the job despite, I think, maybe other people's perception of our job."

Zendaya then thanked Jake for bringing it up, because she's been thinking the same thing throughout her recent press runs.

"I'm like, 'This is weird! This is weird!'", she added.

In Challengers, Zendaya's character Tashi shares romantic moments with both Patrick (Josh O'Connor) and Art (Mike Faist) – and at one point, all three of them share a particular spicy moment together.

When the trailer first dropped, social media was ablaze with people making jokes about Tom Holland being jealous of Zendaya kissing other men. Fans immediately clapped back, pointing out that a) they're grown ups, and b) it's literally part of their jobs.

Perhaps the strange fixation is all just because it's the first time people are watching Zendaya in these more grown up roles? Who knows!

To quote the great Britney Spears: "It’s just a movie. It’s pretend. You’re an adult, you should know that." x

Read more from Capital Buzz here:

• Is Euphoria Cancelled? Zendaya's Latest Interview Leaves Season 3 Uncertain
• HBO reportedly rejected two storylines for Zendaya's Rue in Euphoria season 3
• Tom Holland's reaction to video about 'dating Zendaya' goes viral
• Zendaya explaining why she thinks Tom Holland has "rizz" is the cutest thing

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