From her beginnings in television for Disney Channel, her first music videos, then the era of her leading roles for HBO and Sony… A look back at the dazzling career of Zendaya, one of the most influential and inspiring personalities of recent years.
At just 26, he seems to rule the world of cinema and audiovisual, fashion and beauty. Actress, singer AND dancer full of talent of humorhe is also an icon of struggles feminists, LGBTQ+ and anti-racists.
How did she become one of the most popular and influential personalities of her generation? Here’s everything you need to know about Zendaya!
Zendaya takes on Disney Channel
Star of the small skylight…
Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, better known by her stage name Zendaya, is a American actress, singer and model. She was born on September 1st 1996 in Oakland, California and soon found herself in the spotlight: her mother was a theater director and Zendaya took to the stage at age 8.
The beginning of Zendaya’s career dates back to the 2010s. After a few appearances in clip or some advertisingZendaya gets the role that will boost her career: she plays Rocky Blue, the lead role of the Disney Channel series shake italongside Bella Thorne.
The series ran for three seasons and had resounding success with the young audiencemanufacturing Zendaya is one of Disney Channel’s top-earning stars with $60,000 per episode.
First in dance and song
In full conquest of the small skylight, Zendaya also turned to the side of the music : in 2011, he released his first single “Swag It Out” (of which we give you the clip for the pleasure of diving back into the nostalgia of the aesthetic Disney Channel in 2010.)
In 2013, Zendaya participated in the sixteenth season of the show Dance with the starsbecoming the youngest contestant on the show. If she didn’t win the competition, the 17-year-old young woman won the second place. The same year, she released his first album. Authorized Zendayathe latter was well received by critics.
2017 and 2019: Zendaya gets her big roles
The end of Disney, the beginnings of Sony, HBO (and Tom Holland)
After the end of shake it, Zendaya continued to work with Disney Channel. She played Zoey Stevens in the film Hoed in 2014, he then held the lead role of the series KC undercoverwhich lasted three seasons, after which Zendaya left Disney productions.
But it was in 2017 that her career took on a new lease of life. Zendaya starred in the musical drama The greatest showman alongside Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron. Her performance earned her a nomination for a Teenage Choice Award. The same year, she played Michelle Jones in the film Spider-Man: Homecomingwhich he resumed in 2019 in Spider-Man: Far From Home. It was during these shoots that she met the British actor Tom Hollandwho he is currently in a relationship with.
The revolution of euphoria
It was also in 2019 that Zendaya landed the role of Rue Bennett in the HBO series. Euphoria, produced by Sam Levinson and Drake. Critically and publicly acclaimed for her portrayal of this role drug addict teenagerZendaya won the Primetime Emmy Award for best actress in a Drama Series in 2020 (she won it again in 2022!)
That’s how it became the youngest actress to win this award as well as the second African-American actress to receive the award, after the great Viola Davis, awarded in 2014. In 2020, Zendaya was also chosen by Denis Villeneuve to play the role of Chani alongside Thimothée Chalamet in the blockbuster Dunes.
His political commitments
Zendaya is also known for her commitment to the fight for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ people and against racism. She does not hesitate to use her immense influence to raise awareness of social issues (with more than 171 million followers on Instagram, Zendaya is 23rd in the ranking of the most followed people in the world). In 2015, she said:
My parents taught me from an early age that if you witness an injustice, no matter what, if someone is being harassed, you need to fight back and not shut up. You are not watching.
Zendaya
In 2017, the year of release of Spidermanin which he participated There Women’s march from Washington promote the rights of women, LGBTQ+ people and racialized people. It has become an icon for some people queer with his role in Euphoria alongside the transgender actress Hunter Schafer. Muse of Lancome or even of Tommy Hilfiger, Zendaya never stops reporting lack of representation of African American women in American cinema.
A commitment that makes us all the more eager to discover all that Zendaya still has in store for us in the future!
Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
