BETWEEN TAKES

THE CHALLENGERS STAR ON COFFEE, CHIPS AND ZENDAYA’S ONESIE…

What’s the first thing you do when you get to set?

Just a big mug of coffee. I’m filming in New York right now and I’m on decaf because coffees here give me the shakes. I don’t know if there’s any science to back this up, but I feel like I still get a kick when I have a decaf.

What do you always take to set?

I’ll have my scrapbooks, which is what I do for prep for a film – notes, drawings and ideas. My little book is always with me. There’s lots of stuff about backstory. In this case, what [my character] Patrick was like before, and family background stuff that isn’t in the movie.

Hot lunch or cold lunch?

Right now, I’m eating very low-calorie nutritious things. I’m not trying to lose weight, and normally I’d just have lasagne or chips or whatever is going on, but I’ve been told that I’ll get much more energy eating rocket and tuna. It’s delicious, but so far, it’s not working. I’m exhausted.

Do you ever sleep on set?

At lunchtime, I pretty much always sleep. I eat my food walking from set just to maximise sleep. My rule is no more than 40 minutes any more, or I feel like I’ve cheated the people who employ me and feel a bit groggy.

What’s been your best on-set experience?

Challengers was a beautiful experience. [My co-stars] Mike [Faist] and Zendaya were just a dream, and Luca [Guadagnino, director] is phenomenal. Just before Challengers, I made this film, La Chimera [see page 28], and I’d say that was probably the best, most important experience in my career so far.

Have you ever stolen anything from set as a memento?

I attempted to steal something from The Crown. There was this paperweight with Prince Charles’ face on it, and it was kind of tacky, but I loved it. My plan was to get caught but then be given it as a wrap gift. But they never did, so now I wish I had just stolen it.

‘I DON’T KNOW IF THERE’S ANY SCIENCE TO BACK THIS UP, BUT I FEEL LIKE I STILL GET A KICK WHEN I HAVE A DECAF COFFEE’

Did you learn any useful skills on the set of Challengers?

I’m a lot better at tennis, but a lot better than what I was is still not very good. The best and worst part of the job is you have two months learning a skill and then you’re on to your next job. It’s like jack of all trades, master of none. I was shooting a scene playing piano the other day and someone said, ‘What’s your favourite piece to play?’ I was like, ‘This is it... This is all I can play.’

Do you maintain friendships with the cast and crew?

You pick up friends as you go through, and sometimes you reconnect. Someone like Jessie Buckley has been my friend since drama school and I might not speak to Jessie for five months, and then we’ll pick it up where we left off. Actors just get used to that. This year I’m not going to be home or see my family for most of the year.

Have you given or received any memorable end-of-shoot gifts?

Mike Faist and I thought it would be really funny, and I don’t know why – there must have been some context – to get an American flag onesie pyjama set for Zendaya from Amazon for like $8. And we wrapped it up, and I think her assistant Darnell knew what we were giving her and very cleverly said, ‘Why don’t you all open the gifts in the cars, like away from each other, because it’s awkward opening gifts in front of each other?’ Thank God, Darnell saved our life because Mike and I opened up these thoughtful, incredibly generous, beautiful gifts from Zendaya. We just sat in the cars the whole way back, dreading the thought of Zendaya opening her $8 onesie. Shame on us!