Christopher Nolan is not messing around. The director has confirmed that frequent collaborators Anne Hathaway and Matt Damon will be appearing in his upcoming film, but its been the casting of the younger roles in said film that have gotten the most attention.
Tom Holland is set to lead the film, and Holland's real life girlfriend, Zendaya, has been confirmed to appear as well. This will mark the fourth time Holland and Zendaya have shared the screen, with the other three instances being the MCU Spider-Man trilogy. There is, however, a catch with regards to Zendaya's casting.
Zendaya will only have a few minutes of screen time
The film blog The InSneider alleges that the Emmy-winning actress will not be getting a lot of screen time in Nolan's film. In fact, the role she has been tapped for has been described as "little more than a cameo." The outlet also claims that Zendaya's screen time will amount to a "just a few minutes."
It may be a disappointing revelation for Zendaya fans, but there are plenty of precedents when it comes to actors shining in limited screen time in a Nolan film. Oppenheimer, the historical epic that took home Best Picture and Best Director, featured a host of talented actors who played small roles within a large ensemble.
Nolan has a knack for writing memorable cameos
This included established talent like Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek and Casey Affleck. The latter two are Oscar winners who were relegated to one big scene a piece, but Nolan utilized them in such a way that their impact on the film was immeasurable. It's safe to assume the same tactic will be employed with Zendaya.
Besides, the actress has already proven that her presence can be notable within a blockbuster framework, regardless of how brief her screen time is. She was barely in the first Dune (2021), yet served as a major impetus for the main character and the plot.
We're excited to see Zendaya's talents on display with such a prodigious directorial name behind the camera.