Call Her Daddy’s Alex Cooper Reveals Zayn Malik Was Her Most Challenging Interview: ‘Different Levels’

Alex Cooper is dishing retired each nan juicy specifications astir nan guests connected her celebrated podcast. Although nan “Call Her Daddy” big has interviewed A-list celebrities like Priyanka Chopra Jonas and John Mayer, she spilled nan beverage connected why erstwhile One Direction boy set member Zayn Malik was her astir challenging question and reply yet.

“I’m very competitory pinch myself, truthful I deliberation each azygous interview—I’m evidently very difficult connected myself,” Alex, 29, told E! News successful an question and reply published connected Tuesday, July 9. “I deliberation there’s different levels to nan intimidation aliases nan stress.”

Zayn’s “Call Her Daddy” speech pinch nan Pennsylvania autochthonal marked his first media question and reply successful much than six years. During nan segment, Zayn, 31, addressed coparenting his girl Khai, whom he shares pinch Gigi Hadid, his clip pinch One Direction and nan infamous 2021 incident pinch his ex’s mom, Yolanda Hadid.

“Zayn fundamentally coming retired of status from doing interviews, I was putting unit connected myself to make judge that I was giving that personification a really awesome situation to consciousness comfortable and to consciousness seen and to consciousness heard,” Alex told nan outlet. “And to not consciousness pressured into talking astir things he didn’t want to talk about.”

During nan interview, nan U.K. autochthonal revealed that his withdrawal from nan media spotlight was owed to nan aggravated nationalist scrutiny he and his bandmates faced during their clip pinch One Direction.

“I deliberation that’s why I’ve took nan clip I person to not moreover needfully do interviews and do excessively overmuch property exposure,” nan “What Makes You Beautiful” vocalist explained. “Because I consciousness for illustration we were truthful overexposed successful nan set that it takes a spot of clip for you people to advancement arsenic a quality and springiness thing other that is absorbing that you person to say.”

The musician described it arsenic a “healthy break” to observe his “identity” arsenic an creator and promised a awesome comeback to fans. He seemingly delivered by dropping his medium Room Under nan Stars successful May, his first since Icarus Falls successful 2018.

Zayn besides talked astir coparenting his girl pinch his supermodel ex, 29, and emphasized why he prioritizes privateness successful handling their individual issues. The erstwhile mates first met astatine nan 2015 Victoria’s Secret Party and initially collapsed up successful June 2016. After reconciling, they divided again successful March 2018 but reunited by January 2020, welcoming their girl nan pursuing year.

“If thing happens successful nan family, for illustration I’d alternatively support that betwixt nan family,” nan boybander detailed. “You don’t request a full assemblage of group and opinions because it’s difficult capable to negociate betwixt two.”

However, by October of that aforesaid year, nan A-list mates deed rocky waters successful their relationship. A root confirmed to In Touch that they had “silently separated” pursuing an evident altercation betwixt Zayn and nan RHOBH alum, 60.

At nan time, Zayn denied his mother-in-law’s accusations and issued a statement, saying that he remained “vigilant” successful protecting their girl by ensuring she has “the privateness she deserves.” Almost 2 years later, nan musician stands patient successful his original stance.

“I knew what nan business was, I knew what happened and nan group progressive knew what happened too,” nan “Drag Me Down” vocalist concluded. “And that’s each I really cared about. If anybody of nan aforesaid mind would look astatine nan situation, I judge that you could respect that I conscionable didn’t want to bring attraction to anything. I conscionable wasn’t trying to get into a antagonistic backmost and distant pinch her—any benignant of communicative online wherever my girl was going to look backmost and beryllium capable to publication into it and it would conscionable beryllium something, location was nary point.”