Zoe Kravitz says Channing Tatum's charisma made him the first choice to be cast in her movie Blink Twice

Zoe Kravitz has opened up about why Channing Tatum was her first choice to play Slater King in her directorial debut, Blink Twice. Speaking to The Batman director Matt Reeves as part of Variety's "Directors on Directors" series on December 19, Kravitz shared that Tatum’s natural charisma made him the perfect fit for the role.

Her decision to cast her former fiancé came from a desire to "weaponize his charisma" for a character whose charm conceals darker intentions.

"Channing was the first person I thought of for Slater King, and I don’t know where that came from," Kravitz, 36, revealed in the interview. She elaborated, "I knew that the character needed to be somebody who we think we trust, especially because you don't believe Naomi [Ackie] is getting on that plane if it’s someone who is immediately insidious."

By leveraging Tatum’s well-known charm, Zoe Kravitz aimed to create a character with hidden depths that would keep the audience guessing.

This insight into her casting process comes just two months after Kravitz and Tatum ended their three-year relationship, which included a year-long engagement.

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Zoe Kravitz's casting decision for Slater King in Blink Twice

Zoe Kravitz explained that the audience needed to feel an initial sense of trust in Slater's character to believe that Naomi Ackie’s character, Frida, would agree to board the plane with him. The decision to "weaponize his charisma" was a deliberate move to present Tatum in a light that audiences had not seen before.

"We’ve never seen him do something like that," Zoe Kravitz remarked, highlighting that Tatum’s previous roles in films like Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street, and She’s the Man had not explored this particular aspect of his acting range.

The High Fidelity actor also shared her excitement about seeing Tatum embrace the role, describing his performance as "awesome." She further noted that Tatum’s decision to take on the role reflected his support for the story, calling him "an ally" in telling the film’s narrative.

Zoe Kravitz and Tatum's relationship began in 2021 on the set of Blink Twice. Their engagement was reported in October 2023, but by the following October, news of their split surfaced.

According to People, sources attributed the breakup to their "demanding schedules," with one insider explaining that their careers were a "big part" of their decision to part ways. Another source told Us Weekly that the pair realized they were on "different pages" regarding their future goals.

Reflecting on their time working together, Zoe Kravitz described the experience as "beautiful," while speaking to People at the Los Angeles premiere of Blink Twice in August 2024.

"We got to work together and go through hard things together and support each other, and it was beautiful." Tatum echoed this sentiment, adding, "To get to create something with someone that you love is probably one of the most gratifying things," she said.

The Zoe Kravitz and Channing Tatum will appear together in the upcoming sci-fi comedy Alpha Gang.