How Did Zendaya Become So Famous? Her Career Evolution From Disney To Euphoria
13 September 2022, 11:55 | Updated: 13 September 2022, 15:12
Zendaya is undeniably a household name and has achieved a lot at the young age of 26! Here's the lowdown on her career evolution from Disney to the silver screen...
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We can all agree on one thing: Zendaya is a force to be reckoned with!
Whether it's in the world of film or television, music or fashion, this 26-year-old has proved that she's a jack of all trades – but how has she got to this point?
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The actress has been active in the industry for over a decade and has quickly reached unparalleled heights since her days within the Disney machine.
As Zendaya celebrated her history-making win at the 74th Emmy Awards, let's take a look at how she became a household name – From starting out on Shake It Up as a young teen to the top-billing blockbuster actress we know her as today...
Zendaya kicked off her career on Disney
Zendaya – whose birth name is Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman – was a Disney darling for most of her teens!
The multi-faceted actress got her start on the teen sitcom Shake It Up in 2010, where she co-starred with long term friend Bella Thorne.
She started the gig at the young age of 14 until it wrapped on its third and final season in 2013. The series also made way for Zendaya's music career as Shake It Up also released multiple soundtracks and singles.
But that's not where the star's Disney journey ended! She added another string to her bow in 2014 when she produced and starred in K.C. Undercover, which ran for three seasons until Zendaya was 21.
Zendaya starts taking on more mature roles
Following Zendaya's days on the Disney Channel, she began taking on more mature roles as the world began to see her as a more serious actress.
Her involvement in HBO's gritty drama, Euphoria, propelled her to new heights and introduced her talents to new audiences.
She portrays the central character of Rue Bennet, a 17-year-old struggling with drug addiction, who is also the narrator of the series.
The second season of the mega-hit arrived in February 2022 after a three-year wait, with the show doubling its audience since it debuted.
Zendaya becomes a blockbuster mainstay
Not only is the young entrepreneur a master of the small screen, but the silver screen too!
The 26-year-old made her feature breakthrough in 2017 when she entered the Marvel Cinematic Universal with the role of Michelle in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya kept themselves entertained on the set of Dune with fart jokes
Zendaya met boyfriend and co-star Tom Holland on-set of the franchise and has since featured in two more Spider-Man movies.
The star hasn't just fronted Superhero flicks but has also dabbled in the world of science fiction and drama – talk about an eclectic actress.
She played opposite Zac Efron in 2017 with the box office hit The Greatest Showman and appeared in 2021's sci-fi epic Dune: Part One.
Zendaya quickly made her mark on the world of fashion
She can act, she can sing... and she can dress the part!
Zendaya's red carpet looks have always been revered, she never ceases to make her way onto every best-dressed list.
She has even spoken about how she used fashion as a way to bridge the gap between child star to sought-after actress.
In 2020, the young talent spoke at a panel about fashion and the entertainment industry, she said: "Another thing that I feel helped me create an avenue and a lane of my own, that was outside of Disney Channel, was fashion."
Speaking on her reputation as a style icon, she continued: "So that kinda became my thing, to like, get out of people seeing me in a certain way."
"I would just dress very well – at things I didn’t need to be at," she quipped.
Zendaya makes history with milestone Emmy win
During the 74th Emmy Awards, Zendaya celebrated a historic win as she accepted the coveted award of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role on Euphoria.
The win marked that the 26-year-old star had become the youngest woman to win two Emmys in the same category as well as the first Black woman to win Lead Actress twice!
In her poignant acceptance speech, Zendaya addressed the Academy: "I just want to say you know, my greatest wish for Euphoria was that it could help heal people.
"I just want to say thank you to everyone who has shared their story with me," she continued, "I want you to know that anyone who has loved a Rue or feels like they are a Rue, I want you to know I’m so grateful for your stories."
Zendaya emotionally said: "I carry them with me, and I carry them with her."
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