Zendaya for ‘Challengers’ & 'Dune: Part Two' | Conversations at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation

Actor Zendaya (‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ ‘Euphoria’) shares stories and insight from her performance in ‘Challengers’ and 'Dune: Part Two.' Moderated by Pete Hammond, Deadline. This interview is part of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations series, an essential resource for actors, featuring leading actors and casts sharing their experiences, insights and craft. This was filmed in Los Angeles, on Saturday November 16, 2024.

The views expressed in the presentation materials and films, and by the guests and moderators are solely those of the organization and/or individual providing them and do not reflect the opinions of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, its staff or Board of Directors.

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[transmutatingaswespeak]

Zendaya is such a gorgeous talented actress but she’s also an absolute nerd in her craft and we love her for it! So methodical and detail oriented and reminding everyone that’s she’s not just a pretty face but she’s a true profressional in her craft

[Mareesindigo]

Zendaya is such a ray of sunshine. I can listen to her speak about her craft all day. ♥️

[dess]

Zendaya is so articulate and amazing. I love how down-to-earth she is. Great interview

[GamerplayerWT]

She’s turning into an amazing actress.

[maarinaamms]

Watched this interview in one breath, Zendaya is incredibly talented actor and such welcoming and beautiful person.

[transmutatingaswespeak]

I love how grateful she is for her passion and job and longevity of it

[friendly-bq]

I just love Zendaya, she is such a talented actress, with one gesture she can express she is destroyed inside, I love the way she does it time and time again. She is underrated in terms of big awards and nominations. I hope they will come really soon.
I love Challengers and the Dune parts 1 and 2, I am a collector of physical media and I just don't get tired of these movies. Thank you Z and everyone else involved.

[anastaciashako]

i can't say enough how proud of her i am. <3

[Sthuthukile]

It's so rare to hear her perspective on the different aspects of filmmaking or technical process of acting...cause people let her fashion and style overshadow her true craft.

[blairmcauley]

I love Zendaya I’ve been watching her since shake it up on Disney channel

[mariahirsi]

I'm team Tashi. I didn't think about her injury that way until Zendaya explained it. Love her!

[alexandratantacure]

i just love to listen to her talk about her craft she is so interesting and well-spoken
the interviewer did a really good job it feels like a really confortable space for her to express herself

[Porcelynnn]

Enjoyed this interview! Makes me want to see Challengers

[sobeso]

didn't know they used cgi for most of the tennis shots/swings, I thought it was just for the crazy camera movement scenes, which is interesting because that would mean he deliberately had to direct the crowd to convince us that there was a real back and forth...

[yoerivanesseveld]

Lovely interview with Zendaya. Hearing her talk more about Denis' vision for Chani gives Zendaya more to explore for the character, such as the battle between the heart and mind. I never understood that if they wanted to give Zendaya more to work with, they set up Dr Liet-Kynes ‘the Judge of the Change’ in part one.

In the books, Chani-- like Paul grieves a parent. This way they had more to bond over than just Fremen warrior culture and technology. Kynes' legacy both within her family and within the larger Fremen community remains the dream of terraforming Arrakis to make it hospitable.

Remember the ecological station from Part One? This was the work of Chani's family over generations. So to have Paul come in as this religious figure offering the same only through faith, would add much more dept. Until the very end when she rides off.

- Also her mother was a well-known and respected figure among the Fremen, making Chani fully aware of the politics around the dream. Dr Kynes was working for the emperor, politically manipulating as best she could to win gains for the Fremen dream. This is not foreign to Chani. She's not green to the political machinations of the empire. She is the daughter of someone playing the game! So Chani leaving at the end of Part Two felt off.