Unknown Zendaya: Gen Z Star

Is there anyone else who embodies Gen Z as perfectly as Zendaya? Many met the multi-talented actress on the Disney Channel. First she played in the TV series “Dance Fever” (2010-2013) along with Bella Thorne. Then, increasing success, in the series “K.C. Undercover" (2015-2018). Moreover, the young actress was behind its name. She rejected the original “Super Charming Katie”, asking the producers: “Do I really look like Katie to you?” Her strong character helped her develop into a star both on and off screen. In 2018, he ended her collaboration with Disney and moved on to more serious projects in television, film and music. For example, she starred in the Marvel trilogy about Spider-Man with Tom Holland and the series “Euphoria,” where she played the turbulent Rue, again, a representative of generation Z. In addition, she gained popularity in fashion and other areas.

Why doesn't he use his last name?

Zendaya quickly became famous not only for her acting abilities, but also for her simple, memorable name. This choice put her on par with other stars such as Cher and Madonna. Her full name and surname is Zendaya Coleman. But at the beginning of her career, she decided that instead of him, she would only be Zendaya. In a conversation with GQ, the actress recalled how she liked the idea as a child: “It sounded cool, like Prince,” she admitted.

When she was 12 years old, her agent suggested she take "Zendaya" as her stage name. In an interview with Vogue, the actress clarified the meaning behind her name. “Technically, it's a long story. But it is based on a word that means “to be grateful.”

Teenage complexes

Being a child actor is not so easy, there is essentially no childhood, and growing up, there is a chance of losing your youthful charm, and with it your roles. Luckily, that scenario didn't pan out for Zendaya. She has successfully crossed the age line and continues to increase in popularity. She began her career by filming advertisements for the Sears retail chain. Her parents supported the young talent in her desire to become an actress; at the age of 14 she was invited to “Dance Fever,” and at the same time the family moved from her native Oakland to Hollywood.

One of Zendaya’s problems as a teenager was… “modesty,” which greatly interfered with her public profession. They even hired a psychologist to help her cope with her tension. “I remember my stylist said: “You look kind of frozen. People think you're close-minded because you don't speak," Zendaya said. According to her, she still experiences echoes of teenage nervousness that did not allow her to express herself.

Family matters

Zendaya's parents are former teachers. The mother has German roots, while the father is African-American. And she is the youngest in the family, with four half-siblings. She also admitted in a conversation with Elle magazine that she was “saddened by the fact that her mother sacrificed her career in order to help her become a star.” As it turns out, family plays a very big role in her life, even after all the success that befell her. For example, she likes to pick up her nieces from school, the daughters of her half-sister Kizzi, or allows her mother to decorate her home. And brother Darnel became her personal assistant. “Congratulations to the best big brother/assistant/the only person in the world who brilliantly manages my affairs 24/7,” she wrote on social media, wishing Darnell a happy birthday.

High notes

In addition to acting, Zendaya writes songs and sings. In 2013, she released her debut album with the song “Replay,” which took 40th place on the Billboard Hot 100. For a newcomer, this is a good result. And the video clip collected 200 million views on YouTube in 2021. After that, she released the single “Something New” with Chris Brown, and also recorded the soundtrack for the film “The Greatest Showman” (2017) with Zac Efron and Hugh Jackman.

"I still love writing music and I still get to do it a lot through acting, and working on the final song for Euphoria was a lot of fun," she told Allure magazine.