Zendaya felt “terrified” about playing tennis in Challengers.
The 26-year-old actress stars in the Luca Guadagnino-directed sports-drama movie, and Zendaya has admitted that she felt nervous throughout her tennis scenes.
The Hollywood star told ELLE magazine: “The more I had to pretend to do tennis in front of a camera with an audience, the more terrified I felt. And I was not even using a real ball!”
Zendaya plays tennis sensation Tashi in the movie, and the actress felt very self-conscious of her on-court movements.
She explained: “I’m just doing the form and footwork and getting my swing right and doing it in front of a whole bunch of people as if it’s the US Open, and I’m terrified.”
Zendaya has enjoyed huge success in recent years, starring in the Spider-Man film franchise and “Euphoria,” the hit HBO drama series. And the movie star previously insisted that she’s never been afraid to “evolve” as an actress.
Discussing her career philosophy, Zendaya told Harper’s Bazaar magazine: “Be true to yourself. Knowing who you are and what you stand for is important, but don’t be afraid to evolve. Always try to focus on creating and doing things that genuinely make you happy, things that feel good in your gut and your heart, and you really can’t go wrong.”
Zendaya — who is dating her Spider-Man co-star Tom Holland — has also made a concerted effort to avoid comparing herself with other people.
The movie star explained: “It’s always easier said than done for most people, but all you can do is focus on your own growth and joy and know that going at your own pace is the perfect pace.”
