Josh O’Connor has opened up about filming his sensual threeway scene in the forthcoming drama, Challengers.
On 26 April, movie enthusiasts in the UK will be treated to Luca Guadagnino’s highly anticipated sports drama, starring Zendaya, Mike Faist and O’Connor.
Set in the competitive world of tennis, Challengers follows the journey of two best friends and industry pros, Art (Faist) and Patrick (O’Connor). Their lives take an unexpected turn when they both fall for tennis superstar Tashi (Zendaya). However years later, the dynamic between the trio changes dramatically, with Tashi marrying Art and transforming him into a grand slam champion.
The official synopsis adds: “To jolt [Art] out of his recent losing streak, she makes him play a “Challenger” event – close to the lowest level of pro tournament – where he finds himself standing across the net from his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend, [Patrick].”
Over the last few months, MGM has teased the release of Challengers by dropping various clips and trailers – including one featuring a jaw-dropping three-way kiss between the three aforementioned characters.
With the film’s release date right around the corner, O’Connor spoke to Vanity Fair about the steamy scene and how he and his co-stars brought the moment to life.
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“Luca had a very clear idea of what happens on the bed. The idea of me and Mike, with Zendaya in the middle – this idea that it’s kissing, kissing and then it turns into this three-way kiss – and then suddenly Mike and I are kissing. That was very clear,” the God’s Own Country star explained to the news outlet.
While Guadagnino had an established structure and idea for the scene, O’Connor said there was an “element of improvisation” while filming the viral moment.
“We all kind of figured it, how are we going to do this? How does this work?… It was fairly organic,’ he continued.
“We did little things, like, when they’re sitting on the floor and she goes onto the bed, I was up in a flash and not holding back. That came from us knowing our characters well and knowing the dynamics between the three of us.”
O’Connor’s recent comments come a few months after Zendaya described Challengers as “super intense” while speaking to VMan Magazine,
“I often call this movie ‘Codependency: The Movie.’ I love seeing people take on the characters when they’ve only seen the trailer. It’s like, just wait, you have no idea,” she added.
Watch the latest trailer for Challengers here or below.
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