Mike Faist revealed he disappeared from Hollywood for two years after his breakout role in the 2024 film “Challengers” due to the pressures of the spotlight.
“It became very apparent to me, there’s a moment of just needing to recalibrate probably for myself,” Faist told GQ Hype in an interview published Wednesday while promoting his new Netflix series, “East of Eden.”
The 34-year-old explained that “there’s so much noise in this industry and in the world,” and pointed out that a lot of other actors like to “double down” when they have a hit project and “get onto the next thing.”
“They want this momentum,” Faist said, before admitting, “I don’t think that I have that kind of stamina. I’m not necessarily a marathon runner.”
Faist stated that he struggled with the “public gaze” when he was promoting the tennis film with co-stars Zendaya and Josh O’Connor.
“It’s this: Before, you’re able to walk outside, you’re able to go to your neighborhood coffee shop, able to chat with your normal person, and you could kind of be whoever you wanted to be,” he said.
“I really loved operating in the world with anonymity and being able to talk to strangers without them knowing who I was, because for some reason that was an ability for me to be even more honest with them.”
Faist said once he started being noticed, he began hiding from the public eye.
“It’s like, they point and they say, ‘Oh, you’re the guy.’ You’re like, ‘I guess I’ll wear a hat now,’” he shared.
Despite being excited for his new Netflix project, an adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic 1952 novel of the same name, Faist admitted he’s hesitant about returning to the spotlight.
“This is the part that I don’t know how to do,” he told the outlet, calling the interview “a big step” for him.
Faist went on, “Look, the truth is, it’s a lot easier for me to put on a character and be in front of the world than be me. And I’m just proud that I’m able to go on a walk with you and do this.”
Later in the interview, Faist described balancing being a Hollywood star and living privately in Ohio as “living in the Matrix.”
“And I’ve got to go back into the real world.”
Faist also spoke about the pop culture impact of “Challengers,” saying, “It did the thing that you hope movies do, which is they do get into the cultural sphere.”
“It definitely is a film that touches on a generation — which is crazy.”
“East of Eden,” also starring Florence Pugh and Christoper Abbott, premieres Friday on Netflix.
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