To look at her on the surface, you’d think she was a homogenous blend of Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna, but a much closer look tells a whole different story all together.
Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman was born of an African/American father and a mother with German and Scottish ancestral roots. She was born in 1996 in Oakland, California. Her name means “to give thanks,” as the people of Zimbabwe believe.
Her start in the performing arts came early and she claims that she started performing at the California Shakespeare Theatre. She then attended the Oakland School For The Arts and acted in numerous productions including Once On This Island. Her acting bug definitely hit early and she worked hard at it from a young age. She followed all this work up by attending the American Conservatory Theatre and acted in such iconic plays as Richard III, As You Like It and Twelfth Night.
Then at the tender age of sixteen came her role on the Disney Channel’s Shake It Up where her star truly began to shine. Her role as Rocky Blue definitely helped carry her to a broader audience and rightfully so as she was endearing and spot-on when it came to her first starring role.
A career in music and dance would follow, but her main focus would lie in feature films as she has quite a few features to her name: Spider-Man: Homecoming and The Greatest Showman to name a couple.
But such a meteoric rise didn’t come as if from thin air and there are surely a few little known facts about the star—some dark and hidden—uncovered along the way. Here are twenty you can sink your teeth in.
20 A Different Kind Of Trailer
The Bad Girls Don’t Die series of books is a definitely successful book franchise by author Katie Alender. The series has gained world-wide interest amongst the teen girl and young adult demographic as it depicts the lives of such teens amidst a fascinating backdrop in world of horror and mystery.
So, it came as no surprise when Zendaya appeared in the book trailer for the second instalment in the book series, From Bad To Cursed, publishers wanting to further reach that demographic.
The publishing world has relied heavily on book trailers these days wanting to grasp the attention of the tech-savvy readers out there.
Her appearance in the trailer sparked rumors of a film franchise, and who better to play one of the characters than Zendaya herself? It would be great to see her in a horror film.
19 Not Until She Was 16
She’s living a rather free life now, working on her art and traveling the world, touching the lives of many fans and people everywhere. But such was not the case when she was younger. As it turns out, the sensational star was actually forbidden to date anyone until the age of sixteen.
These days, that’s pretty archaic, considering the age of young girls out there on the dating scene and at all sorts of ages.
So what did Zendaya do? Did she cry out in utter pain in a spoiled fashion? Did she pull a tantrum of eccentric proportions? Nah! As it turns out, she was A-OK with the whole thing. After all, she was so busy with her art at that age, she didn’t have much time to date guys.
18 One Cool Aunt!
Zendaya’s dad had children before he started a relationship with the woman that would eventually become her mother. Those children of his also had children of their own and by the time Zendaya was born, she already had nieces and nephews of her own.
Pretty funny to think of, as Zendaya was first learning to walk and learning her first words, she was already an aunt.
If that isn’t enough to make you smirk, then try to picture her as an aunt now. Pretty cool having an aunt like Zendaya. Who wouldn’t want a famous rich uncle or aunt? And even though she’s younger than them, we can still picture the old cliché … imagine them hitting her up for a few twenties every now and again for a trip to the movies! Pretty funny, isn’t it?
17 She Fought To Get Where She Is Today
Having garnered quite a bit of success from her first run on the Disney Network, and of course all the other accolades she has on her list of accomplishments. Well, she parlayed al that success to getting a gig as producer at Disney and that’s how she brought her newest show K.C. Undercover to the small screen.
But what’s most notable about this feat is the fact that she fought for a black family to be featured once again on Disney and in such a predominant fashion.
The show marks a milestone, as it was the second to showcase black characters that weren’t secondary characters on the network, after That’s So Raven. When asked, she is always very happy to have had enough influence to have accomplished such an honorable feat.
16 It All Started On The Runway
Is it any wonder? Not really… the girl is absolutely gorgeous. After her run in theatre productions as a youngster, she had a decent career as a model with companies like Macy’s behind her, and it wasn’t a cheap modeling gig, by any means. Besides, the modelling brought her the much-needed attention she was looking for.
Would she return to modelling? Well, the question is definitely valid, but she has often lent her face and her likeness to the endorsing of various products or other items. It’s definitely nothing to frown at, as many celebrities have done it, so who can blame her?
She can join the ranks of many actresses who got their start in front of a fashion audience. It’s an elite group that features the likes of Milla Jovovitch, and that’s nothing to shy away from.
15 Turning Her Back On Music
She has most definitely released a few singles over the years, but her last full studio album, Zendaya, hit the airwaves way back in 2013. That’s definitely a long time for someone who claimed to be dedicated to producing and releasing music.
We’re not questioning her love for music, but only her focus and momentum. She has obviously focused much more on her acting and performing rather than her musical career, as can be seen by her output.
Such information leads anyone to wonder, was the music a stepping stone to bigger and better things? Was her music nothing but a way to reach out to a broader audience and a springboard for her film career? With the release of her last album veering further and further away, the answer can be summed up pretty clearly, we’re afraid.
14 A Most Frustrating Pet Peeve
Isn’t there something that just absolutely rubs you the wrong way? Something that you can’t get over, no matter how hard you try? We’re sure there is, after all, this world wouldn’t be as diverse as it is without a few pet peeves here and there.
As for our young lady in question, she’s definitely got her fair share of pet peeves, but there’s one in particular that absolutely takes the proverbial cake.
She can’t stand chipped nail polish. Yup, you heard us right.
Sources close to the star say how careful she is with her nails, often applying her own polish—rare for a celebrity of her status—and whenever she sees chipped nails on someone, she goes absolutely nuts. It bothers her so much, she can’t get over it. It’s quite funny when you think about it, isn’t it?
13 Caring Just A Little Much About Her Fans
It has been reported that Zendaya actually stalks her fans on twitter! Shocking statement indeed, but endearing at the same time.
Now what make the statements all the more shocking are claims that she, herself, has made to prove the latter. So yeah, as it turns out, Zendaya stalks her fans on the social networking platform, and no, she doesn’t physically stalk fans. But she admittedly follows them and checks up on how they’re all doing, claiming that her fans are indeed awesome and she wants to check up on them and see if they’re all okay.
Hey, it’s better than being completely ignored by celebs. At least she’s showing an interest… and a dedicated interest at that. Talk about giving back.
12 She’s Most Like Kim Possible
So… an average, run of the mill cheerleader in a suburban high school, only by night, she saves the world from fantastic super villains set on taking control of the world!
Sound about right? Yeah, for Kim Possible, a cartoon character on the Disney Chanel, not for Zendaya, of all people.
But, if asked, the star says that the character is the one she relates to most. Her response has left many to scratch their heads in wonder, trying desperately to see the similarities between the two.
Honestly… we sure as heck don’t see it, and we wonder what on earth would cause Zendaya to see herself in that character. We guess it’s safe to assume it’s pretty much one Disney employee trying to get fame and interest for another character… maybe it’s in the contract when you get a gig at Disney.
11 A Smart Clapback
An incredible amount of celebrities have been severely judged at The Oscars, for either their behavior or the crazy styles they decide to sport. No one is safe from the glaring eye of the paparazzi and their judgemental comments, and our beloved Zendaya is no different.
Some celebs have even challenged the paparazzi wearing extravagant and sometimes ridiculous outfits, to either make a statement or to prove something through their fashion sense. Go figure.
As for Zendaya, the actress, singer and dancer was highly criticized for sporting a beautiful style of dreadlocks that she actually looked remarkable in as can be seen in the above photo. Shortly after the harsh comments made by Giuliana Rancic about the star and her chosen hairstyle, she lashed out and defended herself. The star responded eloquently and powerfully, but as always, the impact of the comments had already made an impression.
10 “Big Head”
When you’re flying high as a celebrity, it’s often very difficult to be brought down to earth. The people around you don’t have enough influence in your life to make statements enough to influence you one way or another. But when celebs go home, that’s when the comments hit home and in a big way.
Her closest friends call her “Big Head” and it isn’t because she thinks a lot of herself. It alludes to the fact that she actually has… a big head.
It’s true, if you look at her, she most definitely has a rather large head when looking at her petite frame, yet not unattractively so. But, such nicknames have a way of keeping a celebrity grounded, and such is the case for Zendaya and her close group of friends.
9 She’s Messy
What a shocker! Name one young girl between the ages of 16-23 that isn’t messy. Okay, fine, maybe there are a few, but according to sources, Zendaya sure isn’t one of them.
She too has publicly admitted to keeping a rather messy room, so there isn’t much question to the validity of such claims. She says that she rarely cleans her room, resulting in her hanging out and living amidst the remnants of old clothes and pizza boxes laying around as she practices her next big scene in the mirror. We wonder if it’s hard to get into character.
However, she has also claimed that she occasionally gets inspired and cleans her room, and when she does, she does it extremely well. Now if only she could keep that up all the time.
8 Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend
When celebrities “make it,” they can often get to enjoy the things they only ever imagined enjoying when they were younger. It was when they were only dreaming of the fame they hoped they would one day achieve.
Well, according to sources that were close to the star for most of her life, the thing Zendaya always wanted to indulge in was diamonds.
She would often wear the fake jewellery she could then afford, pretending that they were diamonds and pearls only the rich could get their hands on.
Well, as she gained success, and the money started pouring in, so did she indulge in the many shiny things she always had her sights on. And who could judge her? After all her hard work, we can most definitely be happy for her and all her shiny diamonds.
7 Way Too Shy
It’s way too far a stretch to believe, but Zendaya has claimed that she is often too shy for her own good. But others close to her have claimed that she is indeed shy and always has been.
It has been reported that she has had to repeat kindergarten and all because she was labeled as being too shy.
Of course this phenomenon is indeed possible amongst regular citizens, but it does seem odd for a person who spends their life in front of a crowd. But such is the case for Zendaya, although it seems she has found a way to deal with these problems, and for artists such as herself, the very way to battle shyness is to concentrate solely on the job at hand, and the love of that job is what makes it all go away.
6 She Misses Simpler Times
We no doubt see that this star loves to act. She is at the start of a pretty impressive career and there’s a definite reason for that as she is very talented. But when asked about her acting, sources have claimed that she most definitely misses stage acting, as her time in theatre was definitely quite extensive.
She also claimed that her most treasured times in front of the camera on Shake It Up was when they performed a portion of the show in front of a live audience, as it took her back to her days in front of real people reacting directly to what she was doing on the stage.
Well, she’s definitely gotta get rid of such nostalgic emotions if she wants more starring roles like the ones she’s recently gotten.
5 Don’t Forget To Smile
She claims that her catchphrase is “don’t forget to smile,” but we can’t help but notice that in most of her pictures, she’s often without a smile.
By the way, if you haven’t noticed, she’s got a great smile, and one that absolutely lights up her face. It quickly has one and all concluding that she most definitely made her way to the right profession.
But even more powerful, especially when talking about being in front of the camera, is the ever-attractive scowl and pouty expression she often sports across her pretty face. Probably sells a lot more magazines after all! The smile gives off another message altogether… one of a wholesome Disney star and not that of a young actress on the rise.
Guess she had to forgo her motto after all.
4 No Pictures!
One thing celebrities have to get used to is that, no matter what, paparazzi are most definitely going to snap a lot of pictures of you, and when we say a lot, we really mean a lot. A ton of celebrities have started the whole diatribe: “Poor me… I can’t get a moment’s peace!” As we’ve heard those lyrics many times and sung over and over again, often in chorus.
So it’s no doubt that paparazzi get a rough rap, as it can sometimes be justified.
In Zendaya’s case, she takes a much more hands-on approach. When paparazzi snapped pictures of her legs and torso, she lashed out and requested that the photos be pulled. She publicly defamed the magazine fighting for what she believed in.
3 Totally Would Have Been A Teacher
Of course it’s rather easy for celebrities to say “what if,” especially when said celebs have achieved fame at such a young age. But when it comes to Zendaya, we’re likely to believe her as she always seems to be so down to earth and comes from such a humble background.
Both of her parents were teachers. As Zendaya grew, she saw first-hand what the teaching life had to offer, and for her to say all these years later that she would probably be doing much of the same is telling, indeed.
Of course as fans, we can most assuredly see her teaching dance, drama or singing; we don’t have a doubt that she’d probably be good at her chosen profession. After all, she’s got the disciplinarian thing down pat, as her public “slapping of the wrist” of Giuliana Rancic still fresh in our minds, is it any wonder?
2 Just Exploring The World
Considering that the young lady only started dating at the age of 16 , as we’ve reported in this article and that she’s only approximately 22 at press time, the fact that she’s met such influential people in such a short amount of time is enccouraging!
These young men are certainly lucky to have been selected by such a goddess. Zendaya is at liberty to explore the world at her own pace.
The lucky and/or unlucky quintuplet of young men are Adam Irigoyen, Trevor Jackson, Spencer Boldman, Odell Beckham Jr., an NFL football player and actor Tom Holland who she starred in Spider-Man: Homecoming with. A definite A-List of stars especially amongst the last two. Who’s to say where love will take her next?
1 Maybe Not Spelling Bees
It was when she was in the second grade that she and her parents found out that she wasn’t great at spelling. She failed a series of tests and that ultimately got her in a bit of trouble both at school and at home.
Go figure, her parents were teachers and she herself spent most of her free time reading from plays and singing song lyrics. She worked hard to perform on stage and improve, but that’s not where the chips fell.
It isn’t the end of the world, and if you’re dedicated, a person can improve their spelling, with a little hard work and dedication of course, but for that to work, the individual has got to give it time… something of which Zendaya may not have a lot of.
