What do you think of when you hear of Zendaya? Do you think of her lead role in the hit series Euphoria? Her many years on the Disney Channel? Or the fact that every red carpet she walks on she never disappoints? Through all of these things and in many more ways, we know Zendaya. But why is the 25-year-old actress so popular among Gen Z? 

Zendaya started off acting professionally at 14 years old for the first time on the hit series Shake It Up. Alongside her co-star Bella Thorne, they quickly became known as the new generation of Disney kids. While still working on Shake it Up, both Zendaya and Thorne starred in a Disney Channel movie called Frenemies. The movie is about teenage friendships and all that it entails.

Once the show ended in 2013, Zendaya decided to break into the music industry. She released her first album at 16 years old. One of the songs on the album Replay became a huge hit.

After her successes with music, she still stayed with acting. In 2014 she played Zoey Stevens in the movie Zapped. Zendaya then decided to stay with Disney and star in a new show called KC Undercover. 

While still starring on KC Undercover, Zendaya was the face of CoverGirl in 2016. In 2017 she broke out into some more serious films. She joined the Spider-Man series as MJ. She also acted alongside fellow former Disney kid, Zac Efron, in The Greatest Showman.

When KC Undercover ended in 2018, Zendaya was 21 and was ready to leave her Disney days behind her and start working on more mature work. She continued to play MJ in the Spider-Man movies, which since 2017 have released two other movies apart from the sequel; the last one being the highly-rated Spider-Man: No Way Home.

In 2019 she challenged this desire to be a part of more mature waiting and she joined the HBO show Euphoria. Fans were very surprised to see their favorite actress growing up now playing a drug-addicted teen. None of the people are obsessed with this show and Zendaya’s character, Rue. This role landed Zendaya an Emmy.

Zendaya continues to add to her long list of credentials. In the past year (2021) Zendaya has acted in Malcolm and Marie, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Dune and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

She has already started 2022 with a bang with the release of the second season of Euphoria. Zendaya has had a very successful acting career so far, and she is only 25, but that is not all she is known for. 

Over the past couple of years, Zendaya has become known as a fashion icon for our generation. Zendaya and her master stylist, Law Roach, have created some insane red carpet looks. Zendaya continues to challenge fashion and always comes dressed to impress.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia.