Zoë Kravitz Praises Ex Channing Tatum’s ‘Charisma’ in Blink Twice 2 Months After Breakup

Zoë Kravitz continues to praise ex-fiancé Channing Tatum‘s Blink Twice performance.

Kravitz, who directed the film, explained to The Batman director Matt Reeves during Variety’s Directors on Directors Dec. 18 issue that when casting Tatum, 44, she wanted “to weaponize his charisma.”

“Channing was the first person I thought of for Slater King, and I don’t know where that came from,” Kravitz, 36, said of Tatum’s tech billionaire character in the psychological thriller.

Despite the former couple calling off their engagement in October, Kravitz, who met Tatum after casting him as the villainous Slater, stands by her decision.

“I knew that the character needed to be somebody who we think we trust, especially because you don’t believe Naomi [Ackie] (who played Frida) is getting on that plane if it’s someone who is immediately insidious,” Kravitz said.

The Big Little Lies actress explained she wanted to “weaponize” Tatum’s charm because audiences have “never seen” him in that type of role.

She told Deadline in June 2021 that Tatum was her first choice to star in her directorial debut.

“[He was the one] I thought of when I wrote this character,” she said. “I just knew from Magic Mike and his live shows, I got the sense he’s a true feminist and I wanted to collaborate with someone who was clearly interested in exploring this subject matter.”

Prior to the couple’s split, they joined one another for the film’s press tour and spoke about working together as they continued their relationship. At the Los Angeles premiere of Blink Twice in August, Tatum told PEOPLE, “To get to create something with someone that you love is probably one of the most gratifying things.”

“We got to work together and go through hard things together and support each other, and it was beautiful,” Kravitz added at the premiere.

In a later conversation with PEOPLE, Kravitz said it was “awesome” to see Tatum play the bad guy. “He was doing such a good job, and as an actor, I’m like, ‘This is delicious stuff that he’s never gotten a chance to do,’ ” Kravitz said. “And also, he’s doing this part because he’s an ally. He wants to tell this story.”

The pair sparked romance rumors in August 2021 when they were first seen together out and about in N.Y.C. Then, beginning in February 2022, the couple began talking about each other in interviews. In October 2023, they got engaged, but they called it off a year later because “they realized they’re at different stages in life,” a source told PEOPLE.

Although Tatum and Kravitz have split, they have another project, Alpha Gang, and will continue to work together on the comedy. An insider told PEOPLE, “They will continue to work together and are excited about a new project. They both love filming and creating. Channing has a lot of respect for Zoë’s focus and passion.”

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