Glamour’s senior west coast editor Jessica Radloff said it first: Challengers is set to be the most divisive film of the year.
That’s certainly the case here in the office. Some staffers loved it (hi, hello), while others were disappointed or worse—bored. However, as the Luca Guadagnino-directed film enters its second week at the box office, one thing is for sure: Glamour editors can’t stop talking about the tennis film.
Here, six Glamour staffers discuss their feelings on the film, which stars Zendaya as former tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan, Mike Faist as her try-hard husband Art Donaldson, and Josh O’Connor as washed-up pro Patrick Zweig. The three leads are the anchors in a very convoluted, very sweaty love triangle, which spans decades.
Over the course of our conversation, transcribed below, we touched on all the important topics, like which boy we would choose if faced with the decision, whether dialogue is really all that important in a film scored by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and what really happened in the Challengers ending.
Stephanie McNeal, senior editor: Can I ask a question just to start off? I want to know—without knowing how people felt about the movie—which boy they like.
Sam Reed, senior entertainment editor: Oh, Josh O’Connor, 100%.
SM: Oh my God. I was such a Mike Faist girl. It’s not even funny.
Jake Smith, commerce editor: I agree with you.
Anna Moeslein, deputy editor: I think it’s a fuck, marry, kill [situation]. You fuck Josh O’Connor and marry Mike, right?
Ariana Yaptangco, senior beauty editor: That’s what she did ultimately.
SR: Wow. That really is what she did.
JS: She killed tennis.
AM: I mean, Josh O’Connor is not a…
SR: Sex symbol?
AM: Are we talking about the actors or the characters?
SR: We’re talking about the characters.
AM: Okay. His character is definitely not sustainable [for a relationship.]
JS: He’s a fling. He’s so hot though.
AM: He should always play scum bag.
AY: I know. He’s so good.
JS: He’s sleeze. Can we talk about how Mike Faist is American and how weird that is?
SR: Mike Faist is American?
SM: Oh yeah. He’s a theater guy. He originated the role of Connor in Dear Evan Hansen.
JS: Josh O’Connor, sure. He’s a British man, but Mike Faist looks so European to me.
SR: In my head I was like, wow, they’re doing okay with these American accents.
JS: My mind was blown.
Anastasia Sanger, senior manager, social creative development: I was just surprised he wasn’t actually a redhead.
AY: He was in West Side Story.
SM: My truth is that I like a skinny guy.
SR: They’re both skinny.
SM: No, but I like a skinny soft boy. Every guy I’ve ever dated is like that.
