Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman was born inOakland, California, on September 1, 1996.[4][5] Her name derives from theShona nameTendai (meaning'to give thanks').[6] Both of Zendaya's parents were teachers;[7] her father, Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, is African-American, with Nigerian ancestry,[8] and her mother, Claire Stoermer, has German and Scottish ancestry.[9] She has five older half-siblings from her father's previous relationships.[10]
Zendaya attended Fruitvale Elementary School, where her mother taught.[11] She was described as energetic and outgoing at home but reserved and shy at school. At the end of the school year, her parents had her repeat kindergarten to help build her confidence.[5] Because of her father's passion for basketball, Zendaya's parents enrolled her in a local basketball team. After losing interest in the sport, she switched to soccer and track, but both also turned out to be unsuccessful.[12] Around this time, Zendaya, aged six, and two of her friends performed a play at school forBlack History Month.[13] At eight years old, she joined ahip-hop dance group called Future Shock Oakland, where she performed for three years.[14][15] She also spent two years dancinghula with the Academy of Hawaiian Arts.[16][17]
After deciding to pursue acting, Zendaya assisted her mother, who spent the summer working as a house manager, at theCalifornia Shakespeare Theater.[14] There, she assisted patrons with their seats and sold fundraising tickets, but her primary interest was in the theatrical performances.[11][18] Her first acting role was as asilkworm in her school's production ofJames and the Giant Peach.[14] Aged eleven, she began attendingOakland School for the Arts[11] and, while still a student, was cast in several roles in area theaters. At theBerkeley Playhouse, Zendaya portrayed Little Ti Moune inOnce on This Island, and inTheaterWorks' Palo Alto production ofCaroline, or Change, she played Joe, a role originally written for a male performer.[19]
By sixth grade, Zendaya playedLady Anne inRichard III andCelia inAs You Like It and took part in a production ofTwelfth Night.[20][21] When Zendaya was in seventh grade, she and her father relocated to a small apartment in downtown Los Angeles; her mother continued to stay in Oakland.[22][9] Retrospectively, she said of the experience that her father "knew what I wanted more than anything in the world", though she admitted she "missed a lot of fun things while I was pursuing my dreams and it was difficult not being able to be with my mom and my dog".[22] In 2015, she graduated fromOak Park High School.[23][11]
Career
2009–2016: Early recognition withShake It Up and musical ventures
Zendaya began her career working as a fashion model forMacy's,Mervyns, andOld Navy and also appeared as a back-up dancer in aSears commercial with Disney starSelena Gomez.[24][25] In 2009, she was a featured performer in theKidz Bop music video for its cover of the song "Hot n Cold" byKaty Perry.[26] In November 2009, Zendaya was among 200 girls who auditioned for theDisney Channel sitcomShake It Up, which follows two teenage friends who get their big break on the local dance showShake It Up Chicago.[27] She originally auditioned for the role of CeCe Jones, which ultimately went to her co-starBella Thorne; instead, Zendaya was cast as Rocky Blue.[28] Judy Taylor—senior vice president of Disney Channel—described Zendaya as "completely engaging" with a "great presence", while saying that Thorne had "high energy" and that viewers would "want to get to know her better the instant you meet her".[29]
Zendaya hosting theMake Your Mark: Ultimate Dance Off event in 2011
In 2014, Zendaya starred in the Disney Channel filmZapped, playing a high school student whose phone gains the power to control the boys around her.[50]Jon Caramanica, writing inThe New York Times, wrote that she did not "seem to be even a little thrilled", and described the film overall as "hastily written and structured".[51] Zendaya was then cast as the lead in a Disney Channel pilot titledSuper Awesome Katy.[52] The show was picked up to series in May 2014 under the new titleK.C. Undercover, with Zendaya's character renamed from Katy Cooper to K.C. Cooper.[52] Zendaya exerted influence over the renaming of her character and the retitling of the series, also deciding several elements of the character's personality.[53]K.C. Undercover premiered in January 2015.[54]
In 2014, Zendaya appeared as a guest judge on an episode ofProject Runway: Under the Gunn, where the contestants were challenged to design an outfit for her to wear at an upcoming concert performance.[55] In March 2015, musicianTimbaland confirmed that he was collaborating with Zendaya on her second album, following her move from Disney's label toRepublic Records.[56][57] In February 2016, she released "Something New" featuringChris Brown, through Hollywood Records and Republic Records—her first official release since signing with the latter.[58][45] In December 2016, Zendaya appeared as a guest judge in the season finale ofProject Runway'sfifteenth season.[59]
In August 2017, Zendaya appeared in the music video for the song "Versace on the Floor" byBruno Mars.[60] That year, she made her feature film debut, playingMichelle in theMarvel Cinematic Universe filmSpider-Man: Homecoming.[61][62] She wore no makeup to herscreen test, a decision that was carried through in production, and added her own embellishments to the character, including "carr[ying] around her own mug of strange herbal tea".[63][64] Zendaya described Michelle as "very dry, awkward, [and] intellectual", adding that she found it "refreshing" to play a character who was "weird" and "different", and that "a lot of young people—especially young women—can relate to that".[65][66]
In September 2018, Zendaya voiced theyeti Meechee inWarner Bros.' animated filmSmallfoot,[76] which was met with positive reviews from critics.[77] In 2019, Zendaya began starring in theHBO drama seriesEuphoria, an adaptation of theIsraeli show of the same name, playing Rue, a seventeen-year-old drug addict who is also the series narrator.[78] The show premiered on June 16, 2019, to generally favorable reception.[79] AGuardian writer said that "Zendaya is reinvented as the self-destructive, self-loathing Rue, in what is a truly astonishing, mesmerising performance, upending every expectation of what she could do";[80]Doreen St. Félix, writing inThe New Yorker, echoed this, stating that "it becomes difficult, and then absolutely silly, to recall the pink outlines of her early career on the Disney Channel, so grandly does she inhabit this dark new role".[81]
Zendaya next voicedLola Bunny inSpace Jam: A New Legacy (2021).[91] She accepted the role afterRyan Coogler approached her, citing both her admiration for him and her fondness for theoriginal 1996 film.[92] Having grown up with the firstSpace Jam, Zendaya drew inspiration from her family's love of basketball for her performance.[93] She then portrayedChani inDenis Villeneuve's science fiction epicDune, the first installment of a two-part adaptation of the1965 novel.[94] CriticGlenn Kenny described her performance as "better than apt",[95] while Brian Lowry, writing forCNN, said that her screen time was largely limited to "gauzy images" in the protagonist's visions.[96] Zendaya then reprised her role as Michelle inSpider-Man: No Way Home, with Brian Tallerico, writing forRoger Ebert's website, praising her chemistry withTom Holland and her handling of the character's "emotional final beats".[97]
During the second weekend ofCoachella 2023, she joined Labrinth for a surprise performance of "All for Us" and "I'm Tired", marking her first live performance in eight years.[106][107] She was also featured on the opening track, "The Feels", of Labrinth's third studio album,Ends & Begins (2023).[108] Zendaya next appeared in the documentaryInvisible Beauty (2023), which focuses on the life and work of American model and activistBethann Hardison.[109] She said that plaiyng tennis helped her get in shape for her 2024 filmsDune: Part Two andChallengers.[110] Zendaya reprised her role as Chani inDune: Part Two.[110] She stated that she experiencedheatstroke because she did not drink enough water during filming, citing a "fear of peeing [her]self".[111] Her "fierce, open-hearted performance" was lauded byVulture,[112] andPolygon lauded her "economical" acting, deeming it a career-best.[113]
Zendaya has served as the face of several major brands, includingBeats Electronics,[130]Material Girl,[131]CoverGirl,[132] andChi Hair Care.[133] and has modeled for designers such asMichael Kors andDolce & Gabbana.[134][135] In August 2013, she published her debut book,Between U and Me: How to Rock Your Tween Years with Style and Confidence, written to "help girls through the tougher parts of the tween years".[136][137] Two years later, she launched her first shoe collection, Daya—named after her childhood nickname—and followed it in November 2016 with her clothing line, Daya by Zendaya. The brand’s second collection was gender-fluid and offered a full range of sizes.[138][139]
In October 2018, Zendaya became an ambassador forTommy Hilfiger and co-designed the Tommy x Zendaya capsule collections, drawing inspiration from the 1970s and its "strong, iconic women". HerParis andNew York Fashion Week shows were acclaimed for their celebration of diversity and inclusivity, featuring women of color, plus-size models, and models up to seventy years old as a tribute to pioneering figures in fashion.[140] Zendaya became a spokesmodel forLancôme in 2019,[141] followed byBulgari andValentino in 2020.[142][143] In June 2022, she was named the global brand ambassador forGlaceau Smartwater,[144] and in 2023, she became an ambassador forLouis Vuitton.[145]
Philanthropy and activism
Zendaya has lent her support to several charities and causes. In 2012, she became an ambassador forConvoy of Hope and encouraged fans to supportHurricane Sandy response efforts.[146] The following year, she promoted other relief efforts. In 2014, Zendaya recordedJohn Legend's song "All of Me" with a portion of the proceeds going to the organization.[147] In 2016, she celebrated her 20th birthday with a campaign to raise $50,000 to support Convoy's Women's Empowerment Initiative.[146] In October 2012, Zendaya performed at the medicalOperation Smile benefit.[148] She wasUNICEF'sTrick-or-Treat 2014 campaign spokesperson.[149] In July 2015, she visited South Africa withUNAIDS, the United Nations programme dedicated to preventing and creating access to treatment for HIV andAIDS. Then she also held a fundraiser withCrowdrise, with proceeds going to non-profit, community-based, Ikageng charity inSoweto for a family of AIDS orphans.[13] WhenMalcolm & Marie, filmed during thepandemic, was sold in September 2020, a portion of the proceeds was shared withFeeding America.[150] In October 2023, she voiced support forPalestine.[151]
Zendaya supports campaigns to raise awareness about underserved communities, underprivileged schools and to financially support schools. In September 2017, she partnered with Verizon Foundation as a spokesperson for their national #WeNeedMore initiative to bring technology, access and learning opportunities to children.[152] In March 2018, Zendaya teamed up withGoogle.org to support students at a community school in Oakland funding an innovative computer science curriculum.[153]
Zendaya is afeminist.[154] She has previously discussed her experience as ablack female in Hollywood.[155][156] She took part in theGeorge Floyd protests in June 2020 and temporarily lent her Instagram account toPatrisse Cullors to shareanti-racism resources and media.[157] Zendaya has been an advocate for voting over the years. In October 2016, she was one of the celebrities to participate in "Vote Your Future" initiative and appeared in a campaign video.[158] In September 2020, she encouraged her fans withMichelle Obama, and her "When We All Vote" nonpartisan[159] organization, to check their voter registration ahead of elections.[159] The next month, she shared a video while casting her vote to remind about voting again.[160] In October 2013, she took part inP&G's movement called Mean Stinks, and co-hosted the nationwide live-streamed assembly joined by almost 500 schools.[161][162] In September 2017, she was fronting, along with herSpider-Man: Homecoming costars, aPSA for awareness campaignStomp Out Bullying.[163]
Personal life
Zendaya owns a home in Los Angeles and a condo inBrooklyn.[164][165] She is a vegetarian, saying, "My main reason for being a vegetarian is that I'm an animal lover—definitely not because I love vegetables".[166] She first publicly acknowledged her relationship with British actor andSpider-Man co-starTom Holland in November 2021.[167][124] She found the consistent media attention their relationship received to be "quite strange and weird and confusing and invasive".[167] The couple moved into a £3m home in London together in 2023.[168] They became engaged in December 2024.[169][170]
In 2016, Zendaya was featured onForbes'30 under 30 list.[171] She was included onTIME magazine'sannual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022;Dune director Denis Villeneuve wrote of her saying, "She is an autonomous creative force herself. A cultural icon in the making. A person driven by pure inspiration, empathy, and respect for her craft, who uses authenticity as a new superpower [...] Zendaya is the future. And there is nothing more comforting to me. This is only the beginning".[172] In that same year,Variety ranked her on its list of the 500 most influential figures in global media.[173]
Zendaya was ranked one of the best-dressed women in 2018 by fashion website Net-a-Porter.[176] For the September 2020InStyle issue she and her stylist,Law Roach, chose to use all black designers, artists, and creatives.[177] In October 2020, she won the Visionary Award at theCNMI Green Carpet Fashion Awards for "promoting diversity and inclusion in fashion and film".[178] The following year in November, she become the youngest person to ever win theCFDA Fashion Icon award at theCFDA Fashion Awards.[179]
^abKim, Kristen Yoonsoo (December 2015)."Real Good".Complex. Archived fromthe original on September 14, 2016. RetrievedJuly 9, 2020.Being a young African-American woman, it's important to know where you come from. ... My mom and my grandma do tons of research on where we're from [on the maternal side]: Scotland and Germany.
