Zendaya strips to her lingerie for one of her raciest shoots yet as she taking on a ‘grown up’ role in raunchy new movie Challengers.
And Zendaya channelled her inner femme fatale as she posed for a striking photoshoot while promoting the movie.
The actress, 26, looked sensational in ELLE’s September 2023 issue, stripping down to her lingerie and modelling a number of flesh-flashing ensembles.
Zendaya takes centre stage in her new movie as a rising tennis star Tashi Duncan, who attracts the attention of fellow players and best friends, Patrick and Art, played by Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, sparking a tense love triangle.
The trailer sent fans into meltdown as it depicted the star having a threesome with her love interests, and Zendaya revealed while it was a ‘risk’ to take on the role, she wanted to push herself.
Stunning: Zendaya channelled her inner femme fatale as she posed for a striking photoshoot while promoting her raunchy new movie Challengers
Gorgeous: The actress, 26, looked sensational in ELLE’ s September 2023 issue, stripping down to her lingerie and modelling a number of flesh-flashing ensembles
Hello there: Zendaya showed off her incredible figure as she stripped down to her bra
Zendaya explained: ‘From a character perspective, I want to find things that will push me. As I get older, you know, I can’t play a teenager for the rest of my life.
‘I felt like it was a good step into a more, I guess you could say, “grown-up” role and into that next phase. It was a little bit scary to take on, which I think is a good feeling.
‘To be like, “Ooh, can I do this?” You could run from that feeling and stay safe and comfortable, or you can go, ‘You know what, f**k it.’
While she admitted she didn’t understand Tashi’s motivations she enjoyed playing a character that was unapologetic.
She explained: ‘I still don’t understand the decisions she makes, and we had so many conversations about the psychology of her and why she is that way.
‘What was important to me was that she was unapologetic about it.
‘Sometimes characters who are messy and conflicted and wield power over other people are reserved for [actors] who don’t look like me, so when I get an opportunity to play a character like that, I’ma take it!’
In order to take on the role of the athlete, Zendaya underwent three months of intense tennis training and revealed she has a newfound respect for athletes who compete and perform at the same time.
‘The more I had to pretend to do tennis in front of a camera with an audience, the more terrified I felt’, she confessed. ‘And I was not even using a real ball.’
‘I’m just doing the form and footwork and getting my swing right and doing it in front of a whole bunch of people as if it’s the US Open, and I’m terrified.’
The racy role marked a departure from her acting roots as a child star and in the Spider Man franchise.
For years she was known for her family friendly work until she landed a role as a troubled teenage drug addict in Euphoria.
The controversial series was an instant hit and catapulted Zendaya to a new level of frame she hadn’t experienced.
She confessed that she started cancelling on friends because she didn’t want to go out and ‘ruin’ their evenings with all the attention she attracted.
Reflecting on one moment she realised she had found new fame, she revealed fans started taking pictures of her when she had a problem with her card while out shopping.
She mused: ‘I was just like, Why? You see I’m flustered!’
Leggy lady! Another stunning shot saw the star model a PVC bodysuit while surrounded by shirtless male models
Work it: She looked sensational in a little black dress that showcased her long legs
Posing: She slipped into a PVC gown for another striking snap while modelling a fake braid
Mesmerising: She smouldered down the lens in a cut away suit ensemble
Read all about it: Zendaya covers the September issue of ELLE magazine.