Disney has been reputable for producing many of Hollywood’s stars. Though the network has its charm in identifying young talents, many find it hard to break out of its cycle.
Luckily for this famous actress, that wasn’t the case. Zendaya Stoemer Maree Coleman rose from being a Disney star to one of the youngest Emmy award winners. But as always, there’s a backstory to it.
During an interview for the September series of Marie Claire magazine, the actress and singer discussed the challenges she’s experienced as a black actor in the entertainment industry and walking away from her Disney star persona.
The young actress began her career in 2010 with the sitcom “Shake It Up” to “K.C. Undercover” and starred in films such as “The Greatest Showman” and” Spider-Man: Homecoming.” Keep scrolling to know more about the actress’ Disney career.
Zendaya’s Journey To Hollywood
Zendaya is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was born on September 1, 1996, in Oakland, California. Her father was an African-American, while her mother was a German native.
She began her career as a backup dancer and kid model. Her role as Rocky Blue on the Disney Channel series “Shake It Up” from (2010–2013) catapulted her to mainstream fame. Zendaya also competed in the sixteenth season of the dancing competition show “Dancing with the Stars” in 2013.
Shortly after, she starred as a teenage spy in the sitcom “K.C. Undercover” (2015–2018). She also produced this series, and that made her one of its youngest producers.
In addition, at the age of 19, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of a struggling, drug-addicted adolescent in the HBO drama series “Euphoria” (2019–present).
The Euphoria Criticism
The 24-year-old actress disclosed she was relieved when she saw the script for “Euphoria.” In an interview with OK Magazine, she revealed she felt stagnant doing the same shows for a long time. However, she believed she could offer more, and the Euphoria script gave her all the push she needed.
Regardless of the possible reaction, Zendaya believed “Euphoria” was the best choice for her. She wasn’t connecting to any of the materials supplied to her before reading the show’s script. When she read the first episode of “Euphoria,” everything changed.
Nevertheless, Zendaya received some backlash when she first joined up the series. Some people doubted her ability to handle such a grim part because of her Disney background. Others worried that the “Swag It Out” singer might alienate her younger fans negatively. Even her management team wasn’t sure if she should join the “Euphoria” cast at first.
Zendaya Learnt To Follow Her Instincts
Fortunately, the “Dune” actor had long learned to follow her instincts rather than being swayed by the judgments of others.
“There will be a lot of different perspectives and a lot of people telling you what you should do and what you shouldn’t do,” Zendaya told Daily Actor. “But I had to zero in on what I wanted and push right toward that.”
“There’s something liberating about making your judgments.” Taking my time was a big part of it. I wanted to express myself as a person separate from my Disney character.”
Zendaya is grateful for her Disney beginnings, but she confessed that it wasn’t always easy. She found it particularly tough to return to her Disney show after films like “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “The Greatest Showman.” She enjoyed the adventure and novelty of filming, and it gave her more creative flexibility.
‘I Now Feel Like A Real Actress,’- Zendaya
Coleman stated she feels more like an actress after her Disney transition.
In her words, “It’s definitely been a process,” she remarked of her more recent assignments, “especially given I’m coming from this very different world of Disney.” “I felt stuck after being on a television show for so long.”
“Now that I don’t have that, I’m being treated like a true actress, doing things that make me feel pushed and inspired. I don’t believe that living in comfort is always the greatest option,” she explained.
Her career is no longer static, even though she is still acting on a television show. Thanks to the collaborative “Euphoria” set, she can contribute more than just her acting skills to the show. In addition, she has been able to work on other projects such as “Malcolm & Marie” and the most recent one, “Dune.”
Zendaya has her sight on directing in the future. With the way she’s moving and an Emmy award already in the bag, we are excited to see what the future holds for this iconic actress.
