Who is Mike Faist, Zendayas co-star in new film Challengers alongside Josh OConnor? The West S

Publish date: 2024-04-10

While many know O’Connor for his role as Prince Charles in Netflix’s The Crown, Faist is a lesser-known name to many. The Ohio native, who remains low-key and is not on social media, got his start in theatre following a lifelong passion for the stage. Starring in high school productions and off-Broadway shows, he eventually landed on the bigger stages of Broadway and London’s West End. But his role in Steven Speilberg’s adaptation of the musical West Side Story made him known to a broader audience.

Here, we look at the 32-year-old’s journey as an actor and what led him to his latest role in Challengers.

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Mike Faist has a background in theatre

Growing up, Faist always had a love for theatre. He starred in classic productions, including The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland in local theatres, per his IMDB. After a year at the American Musical and Drama Academy, he dropped out to audition for off-Broadway shows.

It turns out that the actor was a natural talent, and he managed to catch his big break in 2011 in the world premiere of the play Newsies. He then progressed to star on Broadway in 2016 in Dear Evan Hansen, which earned him a nomination at the Tony Award for best in a feature role in a musical, portraying the character Connor Murphy.

The Ohio native made his debut across the Atlantic in London’s West End in 2023, starring as Jack Twist in the stage adaptation of Brokeback Mountain.

He can sing … but is less confident about his dancing

Having studied at the American Musical and Drama Academy, albeit for just a year, it’s no surprise the actor is just as good a singer. His vocal talent came in handy when he joined the cast of Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of West Side Story. Playing Jets leader Riff, his performance nabbed him a Bafta nod for best actor in a supporting role.

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While he’s belted a tune or two for roles, he hasn’t been as confident about his dancing. Despite having taken dance lessons as a kid, he hesitated to dance during the audition for West Side Story. In an interview, he shared, “I’m not good enough. I had no business being in that room, quite frankly. These were some of the best dancers in the world.”

Spielberg however, did not quite agree. The director called him “one-of-a-kind” and reportedly said, “He can do absolutely anything.”

He had to learn tennis for Challengers – and it was hard

In a recent interview with GQ to promote Challengers, in which he plays a tennis pro, Faust shared that he had to learn the sport from the ground up. He revealed that he was on his high school’s tennis team for a season after failing to get into the school play.

Still, getting the hang of the game enough to portray a tennis pro was no small feat. “It did not come easy. There’s a lot of work, and that’s just part of the job. The one thing that excites me as an actor is the ability to dive all the way in and immerse yourself in a world,” he shared on the red carpet at the Challengers premiere.