Now we know why Prince Charles was learning Italian.
Josh O’Connor, who won the Emmy Award playing Prince Charles in “The Crown,” is going to star in Luca Guadagnino’s next film.
Last fall, O’Connor told me was living in New York’s East Village and learning Italian. I thought he’d be in the next Paolo Sorrentino film.
But it turns out he’ll play the former flame of Zendaya in a movie about a tennis player and her romantic relationships. Mike Faist, of “West Side Story,” is the third part of the triangle.
Called “Challengers” the film is project is being produced by Amy Pascal as well as Guadagnino and Zendaya. The script, by playwright-singer-author Justin Kuritzkes, was featured on the 2021 Black List, which keeps tracks of the hottest unproduced screenplays.
O’Connor opens next month in “Mothering Sundays” from Sony Pictures Classics, in which he is fully on display. (It’s actually a very good movie, but does have lots of sexy time.)
Pascal, of course, is already in business with Zendaya. The hot young star appears in Pascal’s “Spider Man” movies. They’re taking this one to MGM, which has never been able to merge with Amazon Studios. They’ve also shown Oscar deprivation, not being able to pull of any action for “Respect” or “House of Gucci.” Maybe they’ll get a new in house team before “Challengers” is up for its Oscar match.
