Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, commonly known mononymously as Zendaya, is an American actress and singer.
53 Facts About Zendaya
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Zendaya has received various accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.
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Zendaya was born on September 1,1996, in Oakland, California, to teachers Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman.
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Zendaya's father is African-American, with Nigerian ancestry; her mother has German and Scottish ancestry.
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Zendaya attended Fruitvale Elementary School, where her mother taught for two decades.
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Zendaya grew as a performer in part at the nearby California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda, California, where her mother worked a summer job as the house manager.
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Zendaya helped her seat patrons, sold fundraising tickets, and was inspired by the theatrical performances to pursue acting.
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At age 8, Zendaya joined a hip-hop dance troupe called Future Shock Oakland and was a member for three years.
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Zendaya spent two years dancing hula with the Academy of Hawaiian Arts.
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Zendaya attended Oakland School for the Arts and, while still a student, was cast in several roles in area theaters.
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Zendaya studied at the CalShakes Conservatory program and at the American Conservatory Theater.
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Zendaya played Lady Anne in Richard III, Celia in As You Like It, and took part in a production of Twelfth Night.
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When Zendaya was in seventh grade, the family moved to Los Angeles.
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Zendaya began her career working as a fashion model for Macy's, Mervyns, and Old Navy.
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Zendaya appeared as a back-up dancer in a Sears commercial featuring Disney star Selena Gomez.
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In 2011, Zendaya released "Swag It Out", a promotional independent single.
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Zendaya starred in the book trailer for "From Bad To Cursed" by Katie Alender.
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Zendaya hosted Make Your Mark: Ultimate Dance Off 2011 on Disney Channel.
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Zendaya was as one of the celebrities who would compete on season 16 of Dancing with the Stars.
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Zendaya's self-titled debut album was released on September 17,2013.
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In November 2013, Zendaya was selected as Elvis Duran's Artist of the Month and was featured on NBC's Today, where she performed live her single "Replay".
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Zendaya exerted influence over the renaming of her character and the retitling of the series, deciding several key elements of the character's personality.
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In 2014, Zendaya was a guest judge on an episode of Project Runway: Under the Gunn.
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In December 2016, Zendaya appeared as a guest judge in the season finale of the 15th season of the reality television series Project Runway.
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Zendaya made her feature film debut as Michelle in the superhero film Spider-Man: Homecoming, which was released in July 2017.
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Zendaya wore no makeup to her screen test, a decision that was carried through in production, and "add[ed] her own embellishments to the role, such as carrying around a mug of herbal tea".
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In December 2017, Zendaya co-starred in the original musical film The Greatest Showman.
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The Hollywood Reporter praised Zendaya for "[registering] strongest, bringing touching sensitivity to her handful of scenes".
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Zendaya appeared on three tracks of the film's soundtrack, including "Rewrite the Stars".
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In June 2019, Zendaya began starring in the HBO drama series Euphoria, an adaptation of the Israeli series of the same name, as Rue, a 17-year-old drug addict and the narrator of the series.
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Zendaya allocated shares to the film to everyone involved in its making, as a way of offering a financial bonus when the movie was sold.
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The film had a mixed reception but Zendaya's performance was positively reviewed.
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Zendaya next voiced the character of Lola Bunny in Space Jam: A New Legacy.
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Zendaya then played Chani in Denis Villeneuve's science fiction film Dune, the first part of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel of the same name.
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Zendaya reprised her role as MJ for the third time in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
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Zendaya received two nominations for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for her lyrical contributions to the show's soundtrack.
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Zendaya was the face of Beats Electronics, X-Out, Material Girl, CoverGirl, and Chi Hair Care.
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Zendaya took inspiration from the '70s, namely the decade's "strong, iconic women", and her runway shows at Paris Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week have been praised for celebrating diversity and inclusivity including women of color, plus-size models, and models aged up to 70.
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In 2019, Zendaya became a spokesmodel for Lancome, and in the following year for Bulgari and Valentino.
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Zendaya was ranked one of the best-dressed women in 2018 by fashion website Net-a-Porter.
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Zendaya has lent her support to several charities and causes.
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In 2014, Zendaya recorded John Legend's song "All of Me" with a portion of the proceeds going to the organization.
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In October 2012, Zendaya performed at the medical Operation Smile benefit.
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Zendaya has previously discussed her experience as a black female in Hollywood.
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Zendaya uses her social platforms to address racial justice, voting, body shaming, and bullying.
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Zendaya has been showing support for the Black Lives Matter movement on her social media accounts for years; she took part in the George Floyd protests in June 2020 and temporarily lent her Instagram account to Patrisse Cullors to share anti-racism resources and media.
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Zendaya has been an advocate for voting over the years.
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Zendaya supported American Heart Association, City Year, Communities in Schools, DonorsChoose.
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In 2020, at age 24, Zendaya became the youngest recipient of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, winning for her role as Rue Bennett in the HBO drama series Euphoria.
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Zendaya received the CinemaCon Star of the Year Award in 2023.
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Zendaya was featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2016.
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Zendaya was included on Time magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.
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Zendaya owns a home in Los Angeles and a condo in Brooklyn.