Zendaya began her career as a child model and backup dancer, appearing in commercials and on television. She made her name as Rocky Blue on the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up (2010–2013), and she was a participant on Dancing with the Stars’s 16th season in 2013. She starred as K.C. Undercover’s titular spy, K.C. Cooper, from 2015 to 2018.
Zendaya‘s performance as a struggling, drug-addicted youngster in the HBO drama series Euphoria (2019–present) made her the youngest recipient of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
She will star in the upcoming action-adventure film Mile 22, which is set for release on April 6, 2019. Her recent credits include the musical drama The Greatest Showman (2017), Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: Homecoming and its sequels, Smallfoot (2018), Malcolm & Marie (2021), Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) and Dune (2021). Who Is Zendaya’s Father Kazembe Ajamu Coleman?
Zendaya’s Father Kazembe Ajamu Coleman
Zendaya‘s father name is Kazembe Ajamu Coleman. Her father is African-American, with roots in Arkansas.
Her mother has German and Scottish ancestry. Zendaya, whose name derives from the Shona name Tendai (meaning “to give thanks”), has five older siblings. She attended Fruitvale Elementary School, where her mother taught for two decades.
At age six, she and two friends from the school performed a play there for Black History Month. She 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.
She helped her seat patrons, sold fundraising tickets, and was inspired by the theatrical performances to pursue acting. At eight, Zendaya joined a hip-hop dance troupe called Future Shock Oakland and was a member for three years. She also spent two years dancing hula with the Academy of Hawaiian Arts.
Zendaya In Euphoria
Zendaya began filming on the HBO drama series Euphoria in June 2019, an adaptation of the Israeli program of the same name. Rue, a 17-year-old drug addict and narrator of the series, is played by Zendaya.
Ben Travers of IndieWire praised her for “add[ing] heartbreaking levity to times when her crumbling character feels indestructible rather than delicate.”
In 2019, she received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, making her the youngest winner ever.
She also took home Performer of the Week from TVLine that same week for her work in season two’s “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird.” She reprised her role as MJ in Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019 as well.
Zendaya’s character was described by some critics as “darkly alluring.” Her “funny, deadpan charm” was praised by Christy Lemire in her analysis of the film.
The picture became a commercial success, earning $138 million worldwide. Zendaya starred in Malcolm & Marie, which was made during the first phase of the COVID-19 epidemic and filmed between 2019 and 2021.
The film was shot entirely in California, using a low-budget approach that reduced worker health risks. The movie features John David Washington and is directed by Sam Levinson, who also created Euphoria. Zendaya gave shares to the cast and crew as part of her effort to give them a financial boost when the film was sold.
The film raised $9,000 in profits for charity. Feeding America received a portion of the money. The film received a mixed response, with Zendaya’s performance being positively evaluated by many critics.
Brian Truitt of USA Today called her “luminous” and “absolute fire,” while Variety’s Peter Debruge praised her for “wear[ing] Marie’s fragility on the surface, only to reveal the character’s strength through reaction shots and silence.”
Zendaya was chosen to voice Lola Bunny in Space Jam: A New Legacy, which is set for release in April 2021. Growing up with the film, Zendaya incorporated her family’s enthusiasm for basketball into the part.
In September 2021, Zendaya plays Chani in Denis Villeneuve’s science fiction drama Dune, the first episode of a planned two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel of the same name.
Zendaya’s performance was praised by critics, with Variety calling it “more than adequate” and The Hollywood Reporter noting that she played a role in the protagonist’s dreams. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Zendaya reprised her role as MJ for the third time. The film received favorable reviews, with her portrayal being particularly praised.
