People Are Praising "Challengers" Star Josh O'Connor's Response To A Reporter's "Childish" Question About Shooting Kissing Scenes With "Spider-Man's Girlfriend" Zendaya
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Luca Guadagnino's Challengers hits theaters later this month, and on Wednesday, the cast stepped out at its UK premiere.
The R-rated film stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor as leading trio Tashi, Art, and Patrick. Tashi is a former professional tennis player at the center of an apparent love triangle with her fellow athletes. Art is her husband, while Patrick is her ex-boyfriend.
The film has already sparked Oscar buzz, with Variety reporting that it features "awards-worthy performances" from the three leading cast members.
One particular clip of Josh at the London event has since gained traction online, with several fans raising their eyebrows at a question posed to him by a reporter on the red carpet.
In the clip, which has received over 200,000 views, Josh was asked if he found it "awkward" to shoot kissing scenes with Zendaya, with the reporter referencing that she's in a relationship with Spider-Man actor Tom Holland.
"How awkward is it shooting romantic scenes with Zendaya, knowing she's Spider-Man's girlfriend?" the interviewer asked.
Josh seemed a little taken aback by the question, though he quickly answered: "Oh, not awkward at all! She's great, she's brilliant, she's an amazing actor, and yeah, it was lovely to work with her."
Josh swiftly went on to discuss his, Zendaya, and Mike's characters in the film as opposed to their real-life selves.
Fans online have widely praised Josh's response to the question, which has been deemed "childish" and "ridiculous" by several X — formerly known as Twitter — users.
"Josh handled the question well. but why even pose the question like that calling her 'spider-man's gf.' The people are too obsessed with her relationship, it's getting ridiculous," one tweet read.
Similarly questioning why the reporter reduced Zendaya's identity to that of "Spider-Man's girlfriend," someone asked, "you have a chance to really get insight on the film and instead you disrespect zendaya by calling her 'spider-man's girlfriend' to one of her co-stars?"
"'Spider-Man's girlfriend.' Zendaya is her own person with her own agency and mind & a successful career outside of their relationship," another person wrote.
Meanwhile, fans expressed their frustration at the apparent obsession with Tom and Zendaya's relationship amongst reporters at press tours — with Zendaya having also been asked about what it was like kissing her Dune: Part Two costar Timothée Chalamet while promoting the sci-fi film earlier this year.
Both Zendaya and Timothée, who are close friends, were subjected to the same awkward question about shooting kissing scenes numerous times during the Dune: Part Two press tour — to the point that Timmy looked visibly sick of it by the end.
At the time, social media users were annoyed that the pair of esteemed actors were repeatedly asked about such a trivial thing, suggesting that it undermined their professionalism.
Seemingly bringing this into view now, several X users questioned why Zendaya's relationship had once again been brought up to a costar of hers on a press tour of a film that Tom had no involvement in.
"People love to act like zendaya is the first ever actress with a boyfriend it's ridiculous," one tweet read. "Why do they act like she is the only actress or actor that has a significant other?" another user echoed.
"Wow can't believe zendaya is the first person in hollywood who has done a sex scene while having a significant other. just so groundbreaking," someone quipped, while another sarcastically added: "Apparently zendaya and Tom [are] the only actors in Hollywood that's dating."
"No other couple gets treated like this in hollywood, it's truly so odd. suddenly no one understands that acting is just a job," one more person observed.
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