Zoe Kravitz Remembers Choosing Channing Tatum for “Blink Twice,” Explains Her Reasons

Zoe Kravitz recently opened up about her casting choices for her directorial debut, Blink Twice, which she both wrote and directed. In a Variety Directors on Directors interview with The Batman director Matt Reeves, Zoe shared the thought process behind casting Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie in the lead roles.

Zoe revealed that Channing was her first choice for the role of Slater King, emphasizing that she wanted a character who was trustworthy but with a hidden complexity. She wanted to “weaponize his charisma,” as Channing had never played such a role before. As for Naomi, Zoe sought an actress with an expressive face capable of conveying complex emotions, with Naomi’s eyes playing a crucial part in the character’s depth. Zoe had already been impressed with Naomi’s previous work and felt confident in her ability to understand the movie’s essence.

Following the film’s production, Zoe and Channing began dating and later got engaged, but they split up after three years in the fall of 2024. The question now remains whether they’ll continue to work together on future projects, despite their personal separation.