‘After the Hunt’: Zendaya Was Originally Supposed to Play Ayo Edebiri’s Role Before Dropping Out

‘After the Hunt’: Zendaya Was Originally Supposed to Play Ayo Edebiri’s Role

Malik Hassan Sayeed, cinematographer of After the Hunt, revealed in a Deadline interview that Zendaya was initially cast to play the role later taken by Ayo Edebiri in Luca Guadagnino’s film but eventually dropped out.

Production of After the Hunt began in July 2024. That year, Zendaya’s schedule was relatively light, with only one film, The Drama, shot in October. It appears she chose not to participate in the project, which would have reunited her with director Luca Guadagnino, who also directed her in Challengers.

“After the Hunt” cinematographer Malik Hassan Sayeed actually let it slip in a Deadline interview that Zendaya was actually supposed to play the Ayo Edebiri role in Luca Guadagnino’s film, but dropped out.

The decision seems prudent considering the film was widely criticized for its reactionary politics, received mostly negative reviews, and performed poorly at the box office. It remains puzzling how the production costs reached $80 million, especially since most scenes are set indoors in rooms and offices.

Summary

Zendaya was originally cast for After the Hunt but withdrew, a choice that likely spared her association with a heavily panned and commercially unsuccessful film.

World of Reel — 2025-11-05

‘After the Hunt’: Zendaya Was Originally Supposed to Play Ayo Edebiri’s Role

Summary

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