Dear Gossips,   

Zendaya was in New York yesterday and surprised the audience at a Challengers advance screening along with co-star Mike Faist. 

 

Here’s how people reacted when she showed up – she is SO cute. 

 

And she got personal. The first thing she says is what this film represents to her: 

 

“This is my first time opening a movie as a lead in this way” – Zendaya is 27 years old, she is very, very, very famous, she’s been famous for half her life; but she’s right, she is only now the main character in a film that she is almost entirely responsible for carrying, both on-screen and off. No disrespect to Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor but even they would tell you that the reason this film is getting so much attention is because of Zendaya. Her ascent has been measured and strategic, and Challengers is the big swing, no pun intended. I like that she’s not pretending otherwise. 

 

As for the fashion, because that’s always part of it, she was in a t-shirt and sweatpants which obviously is not quite as noteworthy as some of the other pieces she’s worn on this press tour but that doesn’t mean the fit isn’t still part of the Challengers wardrobe. Her “I TOLD YA” tee is from a scene in the film, designed by Jonathan Anderson of Loewe and JW Anderson who was also the costume designer on the movie. It was inspired by John F Kennedy Jr who was seen wearing a tee like this in the 90s and Jonathan had him in mind when he was building the wardrobe for Josh O’Connor’s character. So even on a casual day Zendaya can still manage to keep it on theme. 

Now I’m wondering if she’ll be in New York for the next couple of weeks until… the Met Gala. Two weeks from now that’s what we’ll all be talking about: the previous night’s fashion and, undoubtedly, the fashion on display by one of the co-chairs, Zendaya herself. 

Yours in gossip, 

Lainey