Emmy Award-winner Zendaya will receive the Gotham Film & Media Institute’s Spotlight Tribute for her performance as Tashi Donaldson in the Luca Guadagnino-directed film Challengers, at the 34th edition of The Gothams, taking place live and in person on Monday, December 2, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
The Spotlight Tribute was created by The Gotham in order to recognize phenomenal efforts by individuals in film and television who captivated global audiences with the biggest projects of the year. With the Spotlight Tribute, The Gotham will honor Zendaya’s remarkable work as leading-actress and producer on the Amazon MGM Studios box-office hit that broke into the cultural zeitgeist, and was celebrated by critics and audiences worldwide.
“Zendaya’s magnetic portrayal of Tashi Donaldson in Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers exemplifies the creative excellence that The Gotham celebrates,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham. “Her performances in Dune: Part One, Dune: Part Two, and Euphoria have made her one of the most captivating actors of her generation. Her multi-layered performance at the heart of Challengers earned widespread acclaim, including a nomination for Best Feature at this year’s Gothams. We look forward to honoring her work with our Spotlight Tribute.”
From Academy Award nominated visionary filmmaker Guadagnino, Challengers stars two-time Emmy winner Zendaya as Tashi Duncan (who becomes Tashi Donaldson after marrying Art Donaldson), a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to Art Donaldson (BAFTA nominee Mike Faist), a champion on a losing streak, Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Emmy winner Josh O’Connor)–his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself what will it cost to win.
Prior to Challengers, Zendaya reprised her role in Denis Villenueve’s Dune film franchise in Dune: Part Two, alongside Timothee Chalamet and Rebbeca Ferguson in 2024. In 2017, Zendaya joined Jon Watts’ Spider-Man Universe in Spider-Man: Homecoming followed by Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Zendaya won the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in HBO and A24’s second season of Euphoria. Her performance as Rue previously earned her an Emmy award in 2020 for the first season, notably making Zendaya the youngest woman to win an Emmy for Lead Drama Actress. In 2023, her performance as Rue earned her a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award for Best Television Actress in a Drama Series. She was also nominated for two NAACP Image Awards–Entertainer of the Year and Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series–as well as a SAG Award in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series category.
Winners of The 2024 Gothams will also be honored at the awards ceremony on December 2.
