Mike Faist has a new obsession, and it’s not collecting rare stamps or knitting cat sweaters—it’s photography! And he’s got his Challengers co-star Zendaya to thank for this surprising twist in his life.
In a chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Faist spilled the beans about how Zendaya turned him into a shutterbug. Apparently, while filming Challengers, Zendaya wasn’t just dazzling everyone with her acting skills; she was also toting her cameras around like a modern-day Ansel Adams, chatting up directors and cinematographers about the magic of capturing the perfect shot.
Faist admitted, “By the end of Challengers, Zendaya had me hooked on photography. She was always fiddling with her cameras on set, taking pictures of anything that moved—or didn’t. I got curious, started tinkering with her gear, and before I knew it, I had ordered a camera of my own. Thanks, online shopping!”
Just when Faist was getting the hang of taking artsy photos of his breakfast, destiny knocked. Director Jeff Nichols called up and said, “Hey, Mike, want to play a photographer in my new movie?” Faist took this as a cosmic nudge and jumped on board for The Bikeriders, ready to click his way to glory.
“Jeff calling me to play a photographer felt like the universe winking at me. Or maybe it was just Jeff winking, who knows? Either way, I figured I was meant to do this,” Faist shared.
The Bikeriders, which hit theaters on June 21, 2024, boasts a star-studded cast including Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and Michael Shannon. Get ready for a wild ride, both on screen and behind the lens, courtesy of Mike Faist and his new camera buddy!
