close
close

“Challengers” stars Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist nailed the sexually charged churros scene in just two takes

SPOILER ALERT: This article provides plot details for Challengers, in theaters now.

Josh O’Connor never had a churro until he filmed Challengers.

More of diversity

The British actor and his co-star Mike Faist enjoy the fried dough in one of the film’s most impressive scenes. In short: Patrick (O’Connor) is visiting his girlfriend Tashi (Zendaya) and his best friend Art (Faist) at Stanford when the two young men meet in a cafeteria. They sit opposite each other and devour the churros.

“We actually only did two takes of that scene,” O’Connor said at the drama’s premiere in Los Angeles. “They were delicious. It was my first churro of the day.”

So why churros? As if that even needs to be asked. “Because they’re a delicious snack,” says screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, grinning. “They’re very popular in California – that’s why.”

Kuritzkes says O’Connor and Faist added their own twists to the sexually charged scene.

“They were always finding new physicality, new things, unspoken things,” he says, adding, “They’re always finding great, great moments, so I can’t take all the credit for that.”

The love triangle tennis drama revolves around Tashi, a former tennis prodigy who dates Patrick during college but later marries and trains Art. The couple’s relationship is tested when Patrick returns to the couple’s life.

At the beginning of the film, shortly after the three meet as teenagers, Patrick and Art kiss after each making out with Tashi. Are the two men queer? It is unclear.

“What’s true about a love triangle is that every love triangle is inherently queer,” says Kuritzkes, adding, “Whether you intend it or not, you are in an intimate relationship with two other people.”

O’Connor says: “They’re all fluid. They all kind of love each other and figure it out. They’re trying to understand where and how this plays out, and so I don’t know if there’s a clear answer, but I think they’re all in complete agreement. They’re all there.”

The best of diversity

Sign up for Variety’s newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.