Who is Mike Faist? Meet the Challengers and West Side Story star
Mike Faist is one of the lead trio in the new tennis drama Challengers.
There's an epic new cinematic love triangle on the block in the new film Challengers.
The tennis drama from director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria, Bones & All) focuses on the complicated web of emotions that emerges between three young tennis players: best friends Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O'Connor) and prodigy Tashi Duncan (Zendaya).
The trio undergo several major changes in their relationships, resulting in a reunion a decade later for a very tense tennis match where everything is on the line.
As the film focuses on three major actors, you may be less familiar with rising star Mike Faist – so here is all you need to know about the talented young star.
Who is Mike Faist?
Mike Faist is a film, television and stage actor.
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Before his breakout film role in West Side Story, Mike Faist had a successful stage career including the Broadway production of Newsies.
However, his biggest stage success came with his starring role in Dear Evan Hansen, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award and won an Emmy and a Grammy as part of the cast.
After his mainstream film success, Faist starred in Brokeback Mountain on the West End.
How old is Mike Faist?
Mike Faist is 32 years old.
The actor was born on 5th January 1992.
What nationality is Mike Faist?
Mike Faist is an American actor from Gahanna, Ohio.
What has Mike Faist previously starred in?
Outside of his work on the stage, Faist has appeared in episodes of television shows Law & Order: SVU and Deception following his turn in the Disney Channel series Newsies.
After this, Faist had roles in the horror film Wilding and the Amazon teen thriller Panic, however, his big break was being cast as Riff in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of the musical West Side Story, for which he won great acclaim and a BAFTA nomination.
Following this, Faist has starred in Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game and after Challengers he will be seen in Jeff Nichols's film The Bikeriders, starring opposite Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy.
What has Mike Faist said about Challengers?
Mike Faist has given numerous interviews about Challengers and his role as Art Donaldson.
Speaking to AnOther Magazine, Faist said: "What drove me to understand this character – why I liked and was interested in the character – was this idea. In Andre Agassi’s memoir, he talks about why he hates tennis throughout the entire book. And I understand."
He added: "I enjoyed playing Art because I have a strange relationship to acting: I really love it, but at the same time I get so exhausted by it. And I fall in and out of love with it on a pretty regular basis. It’s just the truth of the matter. So I think I really understood Andre, and Art, when they talk about this idea of falling out of love with your craft."
Is Mike Faist on Instagram?
No, Mike Faist is not on Instagram.
Is Mike Faist on X, formerly known as Twitter?
No, Mike Faist is not on X, formerly known as Twitter.
As far as we know, the actor does not have any social media account.
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Read more:
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- Zendaya bonded with her Challengers co-stars in tennis training
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- Challengers ending explained: Screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes on that epic final scene
- Challengers soundtrack: What music features in Zendaya tennis drama?
- Challengers writer reveals how Serena Williams helped inspire new Zendaya film
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Challengers is out now in cinemas.
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