Mike Faist vs Josh O’Connor: How Do They Compare?
Two actors, one tennis court, and about three months of conditioning that turned a pair of theater-and-indie-film guys into believable ATP-level athletes. Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor will be linked forever because of Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, where they played Art Donaldson and Patrick Zweig — childhood doubles partners turned rivals, orbiting Zendaya’s Tashi Duncan.
They’re within an inch of each other in height. They’re within a few pounds of each other on the scale. And yet on screen they read completely differently: Faist is compact, coiled, and almost mechanical in his movement, while O’Connor is looser, rangier, and sloppier in the best way. That contrast wasn’t an accident. It was built.
Mike Faist
Image: Sam Rubin / CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Faist, born January 5, 1992 in Gahanna, Ohio, stands about 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) and sits around 160 lbs on screen. He’s got a dancer’s build — he came up through musical theater, after all — with the kind of shoulder-to-waist line you get from years of stage work rather than a bodybuilding program.
Josh O’Connor
O’Connor, born May 20, 1990 in Southampton, England, is about 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) and carries around 165 lbs. He’s leaner through the torso with longer limbs, which is exactly why his Patrick Zweig swings look like a guy who’s talented but hasn’t done a structured workout in a decade.
Side-by-Side Stats
| Stat | Mike Faist | Josh O’Connor |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Weight | Approx. 160 lbs (73 kg) | Approx. 165 lbs (75 kg) |
| Age | 33 | 35 |
| Date of Birth | January 5, 1992 | May 20, 1990 |
| Build | Compact, athletic, dancer’s frame | Lean, long-limbed, wiry |
| Eye Color | Hazel | Brown |
| Hair Color | Dark brown | Dark brown |
| Net Worth | Est. $2 million | Est. $4 million |
Weight and net worth figures are estimates based on publicly available reporting.
Height Comparison
Stand them next to each other and you’d barely notice a gap — about an inch, with O’Connor edging it. In the Challengers press tour photos they look essentially level, and whoever’s standing on firmer ground or wearing thicker soles wins that day.
Both land close to average. The average American man is around 5 ft 9 in, and the average UK man is about 5 ft 9.5 in, so Faist and O’Connor are each a hair above the norm for their countries. For tennis, though, they’re short. The modern men’s tour is stacked with 6 ft 2 in to 6 ft 6 in players — Alcaraz is 6 ft, Sinner is 6 ft 3 in, Zverev is 6 ft 6 in. Guadagnino wasn’t casting for physical accuracy. He was casting for faces and chemistry, then fixing the athleticism in training.
Career Comparison
Faist’s foundation is Broadway. He was in the original cast of Newsies, then broke through as Connor Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen, which earned him a 2017 Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. Steven Spielberg cast him as Riff in West Side Story (2021), and that performance — all tension and nervous energy — is essentially the blueprint for Art Donaldson. He also led the Amazon series Panic in 2021.
O’Connor came up through British film and TV. He played Larry Durrell in The Durrells, then delivered a breakout in Francis Lee’s God’s Own Country (2017). He played Mr. Elton in Emma. (2020) and won the 2021 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series as Prince Charles in The Crown. Post-Challengers, he’s been everywhere: Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera, Lee, The History of Sound, and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
Fitness and Body Approach
For Challengers, both actors went through months of tennis-specific prep before filming in Boston in 2022. Former world No. 4 and longtime coach Brad Gilbert — who’s worked with Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Coco Gauff — served as the production’s tennis consultant and drilled the cast. The work wasn’t just hitting balls. It was footwork ladders, split-step timing, serve mechanics, and enough court conditioning that the actors could shoot long rally sequences without gassing out between takes.
Faist’s prep leaned toward control. Art Donaldson is the grinder, the technically clean pro who wins on discipline, so Faist’s conditioning emphasized repeatable mechanics and the kind of lower-body strength that holds up over a five-set match. His theater background already gave him body awareness most actors don’t have — eight shows a week in a musical is its own cardio program.
O’Connor’s prep went the other direction. Patrick is the burnout who sleeps in his car and plays on talent alone, so O’Connor didn’t need to look polished. He needed to look like a natural athlete who’d let himself slide. He’s spoken in interviews about not being a serious gym guy before the film, and he kept that lanky, un-sculpted look rather than bulking up. Away from roles, O’Connor’s a cyclist and walker more than a weight-room regular.
Neither actor took the Hollywood shortcut of a crash bulk. No one in Challengers is shredded. They’re built like actual tennis players: lean, functional, slightly asymmetric from one-sided sport work.
Key Differences
- Height: O’Connor has about an inch on Faist — 5 ft 11 in vs 5 ft 10 in.
- Weight: About 5 lbs separates them, with O’Connor slightly heavier but carrying it over a longer frame.
- Build: Faist is thicker through the shoulders and legs; O’Connor is wirier and longer-limbed.
- Age: O’Connor is about 20 months older.
- Background: Faist came from Broadway musicals; O’Connor from British TV and arthouse film.
- Training philosophy: Faist built for precision and endurance, O’Connor for raw, unpolished athleticism.
- Awards: O’Connor has an Emmy and a Golden Globe; Faist has a Tony nomination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is taller, Mike Faist or Josh O’Connor?
Josh O’Connor is slightly taller at about 5 ft 11 in (180 cm), compared to Mike Faist at about 5 ft 10 in (178 cm).
What is the height difference between Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor?
The difference is roughly one inch (about 2 cm). In Challengers press photos they often look essentially level.
Who is older, Mike Faist or Josh O’Connor?
Josh O’Connor is older. He was born May 20, 1990 (age 35), while Mike Faist was born January 5, 1992 (age 33).
Who weighs more, Mike Faist or Josh O’Connor?
Josh O’Connor weighs slightly more at around 165 lbs (75 kg), while Mike Faist is around 160 lbs (73 kg).
Who is richer, Mike Faist or Josh O’Connor?
Josh O’Connor has the higher estimated net worth at around $4 million, compared to roughly $2 million for Mike Faist.
How do their builds differ on screen?
Faist is compact and coiled with a dancer’s frame from his musical theater background, while O’Connor is leaner, longer-limbed and wiry, which suited Patrick Zweig’s looser style.
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Last Updated: October 9, 2026 | Source: Healthy Celeb
