Words by Chanelle Goddard
Ahead of her new film, Dune, alongside Hollywood darling Timothée Chalamet, we detail the unstoppable rise of Zendaya.
Whether winning historic awards or being pretty damn cool, Zendaya manages to give off an effortless vibe, making her one of the most sought after – and photographed – actors in Hollywood. And yes, it helps when the franchises you’ve been involved with command the attention of millions of people – but all that aside, a good personality, we’ll have you know, goes a long way. And that she has, in abundance. Take her appearances on talk shows, for example, they’re funny, engaging and generally cringe free. Then there’s her style. She puts men to shame with her tailoring, channels classic Hollywood elegance with ease, and dons streetwear with an unmatched swagger. The result? A superstar. A young, impressive force to be reckoned with.
For someone once tied to the tag of being a ‘Disney star’, she’s done well, avoiding the unfortunate curses that befall other young ‘Disney actors.’ With big breaks in the Spider-Man franchises, she’s signalled her arrival. The next stop: global stardom.
Her 80 million or so followers on social media demonstrate her popularity – and her invitation to exclusive Hollywood events, including the likes of the Met Gala prove her credibility with the so-called ‘Hollywood elite.’ All this doesn’t phase her much, though. Instead, she’s working hard to keep her feet on the ground, which – considering her achievements to date – might be harder than you think: it’s important “not to be full of yourself” she said, in an interview with the Insider.
Not letting it get to your head, though, when rave reviews start to flood in for your performances as Mary Jane, a legendary fictional actor, is a hard task. Playing Spider-Man’s love interest is a role she confessed to wanting, illustrating – we think – her eye for what acting opportunities are right. In Tom Holland, she found the perfect co-star. In true Hollywood style, the pair are now dating – making all Spider-Man fans realise a long-awaited dream.
Of all her performances, her role as Rue in Euphoria was her most serious and impressive. If the likes of Spider-Man put on her on the map, Euphoria got her the recognition she deserved. As the lead character in the show – which follows the lives of high school students and their experiences with drugs, sex, relationships, self-identity and everything in between – she’s stunning, displaying a maturity far beyond her years. Whoever called her Emmy’s win an ‘upset’ clearly hadn’t watched much of the show – and becoming the youngest Black woman to win an Emmy wasn’t a bad cheery on top, either.
“I just want to say that there is hope in the young people out there… And I just want to say to all our peers out there doing the work in the streets: I see you, I admire you, I thank you.”
But then again, Zendaya’s always had a history of being impressive: On her 18th birthday, she raised money for malnourished children in Tanzania, Haiti and the Philippines; on her 19th birthday, she raised funds to help the fight against HIV AIDS; and on her 20th birthday, she raised over $50,000 to support women facing poverty.
In Dune, a sci-fi story about a gifted young man, she’s expected to play Channi, the love interest of another Hollywood darling, Timothée Chalamet. Their press tours alone are something to behold: Zendaya’s the ever-elegant impressive actor – and Timothée’s charm and good looks can hardly be missed. With all the noise surrounding the film, she’ll be hoping – alongside her co-stars – to impress; and with some of Hollywood’s biggest names on the project, she has a chance to add to her growing list of achievements.
At 25, she’s already accomplished a lot, with more to come. News of her Emmys win may have produced headlines around the world – and her current project may generate more attention – but in truth, they only confirm what we’ve known for a long, long time: Zendaya’s ready for global stardom.
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