Let me start with some gossip, good gossip, because we need some of that right now. The good gossip is that Zendaya has been in London for months. Ever since she wrapped up all that work promoting Challengers and then the Met Gala, Z has spent her time in London because that’s where Tom Holland is, that’s where she and Tom basically live together. He’s in Romeo & Juliet right now but this is also home for him and her too. 

 

Last week Z showed up at press night in support of Jeremy O Harris’s Slave Play and its run at Noël Coward Theatre. The West End production brings back James Cusati-Moyer, Chalia La Tour, Annie McNamara, and Irene Sofia Lucio from the Broadway production and they’re now joined in London by Fisayo Akinade, Kit Harington, Aaron Heffernan, and Olivia Washington. I want to go to 

Jeremy O. Harris and Zendaya pose in the foyer following the press night performance of "Slave Play" at the Noel Coward Theatre on July 10, 2024 in London, England

Just a London resident doing London things. 

 

In other Zendaya news, she was at Wimbledon this weekend for both the men’s and women’s final. The looks were similar but the styling is what set them apart. On Saturday she was giving student after classes – the shirt unbuttoned, the tie loosened, everything was a little disheveled, intentionally, and accessorised by the LV crossbody. 

 

On Sunday it was all polish – white blazer over crisp pinstriped shirt and blue tie, hair blown out. Still tennis core though, because we are still in the Challengers era. And there’s a good chance we’ll remain there for months since Zendaya remains a contender for Best Actress. 

 

That may change when fall festival season begins with Venice, Telluride, and Toronto and the race really starting to take shape. But many industry experts continue to have Zendaya on their lists for now and it’ll be interesting to see if Challengers’ April release will hurt her chances. You’ll recall, Challengers was originally supposed to world premiere in Venice last year, opening up the possibility of her contention, until the strikes compelled them to pull it from the schedule. 

 

We don’t have to get deep into that conversation now though, except to say that tennis is very much a part of her personality even though the film has been released, so much so that she’s featured in a new tennis-themed campaign for On as its new ambassador. Roger Federer has a stake in On and he is her co-star in the commercial, with all kinds of references to Challengers, including Darnell Appling once again playing umpire (get paid, Darnell!), and the Tashi sunglasses move, and also the music. 

 

Tennis purists, not surprisingly, are being grumps in the comments because they feel like it would have been better to have an actual tennis player and not the fictional Tashi Duncan in the spot but, like, girl, this is how you take the brand from being known as the “ugly” running shoe to the next level. No notes!

Also attached – Margot Robbie at Wimbledon with Tom Ackerley. Of course Barbie would be at the women’s final!