With fans counting down the days until Challengers lands in cinemas on 26 April, it seems this film is already set to be a grand slam.
One of the stars of the show will be Mike Faist, who appears as tennis player Art. Directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name), the film will tell the story of tennis-prodigy-turned-coach Tashi (Zendaya), as she navigates her relationships with tennis players Art and Patrick (Josh O'Connor).
According to IMDb, Challengers 'follows three players who knew each other when they were teenagers as they compete in a tennis tournament to be the world-famous grand slam winner, and reignite old rivalries on and off the court.'
But while people are obsessing over the film, it was one moment during the film’s press tour that got everyone hooked on Mike.
While doing an interview with Australia’s 10 News First, Josh responded to a comment about him being a Tony award winner with, ‘I’m a Tony Award loser, actually.’
If anything, he's honest.
As the film lands in cinemas, here is everything to know about Challengers actor Mike Faist - including where he's from, and what else you've seen him in.
Who is Mike Faist?
Mike Faist is an American born actor, currently appearing alongside Josh O’Connor and Zendaya in the dramatic comedy Challengers. Ahead of his role in the tennis film, Mike, along with Josh and Zendaya, took up strict workout routines to master the sport.
Opening up to Variety about taking on the role of Art, Mike said, ‘[The film] examines masculinity in a different kind of light, and actually, probably, brings a little more truth to it and more nuance.’
How old is Mike Faist?
Born on 5 January, 1992, Mike is currently 32 years old. For any star sign fans, this also makes him a hardworking and loyal Capricorn.
Where is Mike Faist from?
Mike was born in Gahanna, Ohio, where he was adopted by his parents, Julia and Kurt Faist. His childhood summers were spent doing construction work to help with his parent's real estate business.
It was as a young child that the future star found his love for acting, becoming obsessed with silver screen icons such as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. In 2009, Mike graduated high school a year early and moved to New York to pursue acting. However, after enrolling in the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, he dropped out after just two terms, taking up a job selling Off-Broadway tickets.
Revealing he was ‘too nervous and scared to audition for anything’ after dropping out, Mike told Interview that his first role came when a friend dragged him ‘kicking and screaming’ to an audition for a production of White Christmas.
‘I ended up booking it,’ he shared. ‘I was collecting foodstamps and being paid $150 a week. We lived in the back of a McDonald’s parking lot, but I was a professional, working actor. That was my first gig. I was 17, and that gave me the confidence to finally go and say, “I can actually do this.”’
Even now, the actor remains linked to his Ohio roots. Opening up about his hometown, he said ‘There is this cesspool of talent that comes out of Ohio and they immediately come to New York, or they go to L.A, and they start following their dreams. There’s something in the water over there, I guess.’
In 2017, he revealed that he was working on creating a ‘playwright’s festival’ in his hometown, bringing ‘New York actors, directors, and writers, and integrating them with local actors, directors, and writers.’ Dubbed the Ohio Artists Gathering, the first event took place in 2018.
Is Mike Faist adopted?
Mike has been open about the fact that he was adopted, only meeting his birth mother when he was a teenager.
Speaking in an interview, Mike shared, ‘I was 17 when I met her and her side of the family. They are a family of pilots.’ After meeting his mother and his two younger half brothers, Mike went on to gain his pilot’s license – laughing, ‘And now we bond as a family in a way.’
What else has Mike Faist been in?
Long before branching out into film and TV, Mike got his start as a musical theatre star.
He made his stage debut in the 2012 production of Newsies as Morris Delancey, before joining the cast of Dear Evan Hansen as Connor Murphy in 2016. Starring alongside Ben Platt, Mike appeared in the hit musical for two years – even winning a Grammy alongside his co-stars for Best Musical Theatre Album.
Fans were sad to see Mike was not part of the 2021 movie adaptation of the musical, which saw his former co-star Ben Platt take to the screen. Explaining his choice to not be involved in the remake, Mike shared, ‘I felt like I couldn’t do it. I started that when I was 21… It really took a lot out of me, and I didn’t really have it in me anymore.’
After making his big screen debut in 2012’s The Unspeakable Act, Mike has since starred in the Prime Video series Panic, 2022’s Pinball: The Man Who Saved The Game, and 2024’s The Bikeriders.
But in 2021, it was his performance in the movie adaptation of West Side Story as Jets leader Riff that made him a household name. Talking to the New York Times that year, Mike said, ‘Maybe this is so pretentious, but West Side Story was everything I had ever hoped to accomplish as an actor.’
‘It’s really crazy, but it was transcendental: either I didn’t feel like I was myself, or I was the most authentic version of myself. I can’t really tell which one. Having gone from having no money, wanting to just be a working actor – I don’t want to just be a working actor anymore. I had that experience.’
West Side Story earned Mike a BAFTA nod for Best Actor in a Supporting Role - but after the film’s success, he went back to his theatre roots. In 2023, he joined Lucas Hedges (Lady Bird) in a West End production of Brokeback Mountain, playing the character of Jack Twist.
Is Mike Faist single?
In the past, it was rumoured that Mike was dating professional dancer Tilly Evans-Kreuger. Pictures did emerge of the pair together, however the relationship was neither confirmed nor denied. For now, it’s unknown whether Mike is dating anyone.
The actor tends to keep his private life on the down low, telling IndieWire, ‘I do a self-preservation thing, because I think I learned my lesson a long time ago doing Dear Evan Hanson of just not paying attention to any of those things. A big part of what I do, or at least what I think works for me, is just protecting that head space and not paying attention to all of it, being just blindly ignorant to it.’
Does Mike Faist have Instagram?
It doesn't appear that Mike has an Instagram page. While the official @challengersmovie Instagram page is following both Zendaya and Josh, it does not appear to be following any account that belongs to Mike.
Where can I watch Challengers?
Challengers is set to land in cinemas across the UK on 26 April, 2024. It was originally due to be released last summer, however was pushed back due to the Hollywood SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Until then, you can watch the trailer online. This is a PSA: you will hear the sound of breaking bones...
Charlotte Roberts is a News and Entertainment Writer for Grazia, writing interviews and features around everything pop culture.