“He actually has a black eye”: Mike Faist’s ‘Challengers’ Role With Zendaya Looks Like Piece of Cake in Front of What He Endured For a Play

Actors sometimes subject themselves to some physically and mentally challenging scenarios in order to portray certain characters and scenes. Mike Faist, who has made a name in both theaters and films, is no stranger to this dedication.

From Broadway to Hollywood, Faist has displayed a tendency to play physically and emotionally demanding characters. However, in some cases, the hardest-hitting problems emerge when they are least expected. A recent revelation suggests that Faist’s recent theatrical role pushed him beyond what was required.

Mike Faist Endured Physical Damage for His Role

Mike Faist‘s rise to fame shows that he has what it takes to go far in the business. His big start came on Broadway when he acted as Connor Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen, for which he received a Tony nomination. The role was mentally demanding because of the nature of the character.

However, his ability to bring emotional depth worked in his favor as he soon transitioned into movies, which came with its own challenges. In Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, Faist played the physically demanding role of Riff. 

Faist’s dedication to his craft caught the attention of his co-stars, especially Rachel Zegler. Both became good friends during the shooting of the film. In a recent interview with Variety, Zegler also mentioned that Faist is an amazing actor and “one of the greatest working actors right now.”

Moreover, Zegler remembers a story that speaks about Faist’s commitment to his roles. She recalled visiting Faist backstage after his performance in the West End production of Brokeback Mountain where she noticed he had a black eye. Showing a picture of herself with Faist, she said,

You can’t really see ’cause the photo is in black and white but he actually has a black eye in this photo because Lucas Hedges’ understudy, I think also named Luke, punched him in the face for real during one of the scenes. I went and met him backstage and he was taking off his makeup. I said ‘Mike missed his spot’, and he said ‘No actually this one’s real’.

Brokeback Mountain shows the story of Ennis and Jack’s relationship, played by Lucas Hedges and Mike Faist. Despite all that mishap, Faist managed to continue his performance. Zegler’s story shows how Faist can leave a mark with his performance, literally.

Mike Faist Pushing Limits Through Physical Challenges

Mike Faist does not shy away from physical tasks in his roles. For his recent film Challengers where Faist shares the screen with Zendaya, he had to go through some physical transformation and acquire professional-level tennis skills. The preparation was tough, and Faist worked up to six hours a day for three months (as per Variety).

Faist also had to bulk up quite a bit and eat about 8000 to 10000 calories daily. This was something quite different from the previous film West Side Story, where he maintained a leaner physique for the dancing sequences.

Talking about West Side Story, Faist said that his role took a toll on his body. In an interview with The Film Experience, he revealed,

Obviously there were physical challenges. My body was broken the entire movie. The most challenging in terms of shooting was probably the rumble.

However, no matter how physically challenging these roles may be, they did not cause any injury. The black eye Faist got during Brokeback Mountain can only be described as an example of the unpredictable conditions during live theatrical performances. 

West Side Story is available to stream on Disney+.

Challengers is available to stream on Prime Video.