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Here Zendaya corrects interviewer saying she 'only goes by one name' and her and the interviewer automatically compare this to other famous singers such as Madonna and Prince.

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why Zendaya wanted to go with one name #shorts #zendaya tiktok

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Jane O'Conner and John Mercer, 1sr ed. (2017). Childhood and Celebrity: Mapping the terrain

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Jane O'Conner and John Mercer, 1sr ed. (2017). Childhood and Celebrity: Mapping the terrain

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In this chapter, O'Conner discusses that their was a shift in child stars in the late 20th century and early 21st century to 'media savvy'child-adults' who seemed unconcerned about the potentional pitfalls of early fame due to the control they had over their professional lives and finances.' (p. 11). Later O'Conner specifically talks about Disney child stars and describes the 'unspoken expectation that those who reach the heights of celebrity as children are obliged to spend the rest of their lives embodying idealised childlike virtues such as innocence, purity and sweetness' (p. 11). these quakities can be applied to Zendaya's star image, which shows how cultivated a star image can be all the way from childhood through to adulthood.

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Not only was the film a huge success but starring alongside other A-List Hollywood celebrities such as Timothee Chalamat and Oscar Isaac, this firmly situates Zendaya as a Hollywood star.

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Richard Dyer and Paul McDonald (1998). Stars. London: BFI Publishing

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Richard Dyer and Paul McDonald (1998). Stars. London: BFI Publishing

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Dyer and McDonald talk about the paradox of stardom that involves 'ordinariness' and 'extravagance (p. 43) '

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Richard Dyer, 2nd ed. (2003).  Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society. London: Routledge

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Richard Dyer, 2nd ed. (2003).  Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society. London: Routledge

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Dyer states that 'Stars are involved in making themselves into commodities; they are both labour and the thing that labour produces. They do not produce themselves alone.' (p. 5). this highlights the symbiosis that occurs between stardom and commodification. Not only do stars produce commodities such as perfumes, clothes, music etc but they make themselves into a commodity to create these.

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G. Turner, Bonner and Marshall (2000). Fame Games: the Production of Celebrity in Australia

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G. Turner, Bonner and Marshall (2000). Fame Games: the Production of Celebrity in Australia

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G. Turner, Bonner and Marshall stated that 'Celebrities are brand names as well as cultural icons or identities; they operate as marketing tools as well as sites where the agency of the audience is clearly evident; and they represent the achievement of individualism – the triumph of the human and the familiar – as well as its commodification and commercialisation” (p. 13). This shows the interesting relationship between autonomy and stardom, as well as the success of the star for reaching their stardom.

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Milly Williamson, 1st ed. (2016). Celebrity: Capitalism and the Making of Fame

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Milly Williamson, 1st ed. (2016). Celebrity: Capitalism and the Making of Fame

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Williamson talks about  how celebrity labour is commodified because 'The image they construct and the persona they produce are central to their value as a commodity, that is, as a figure that can help to sell a film, or a perfume, or a television show.' (p. 16). this implies that in order to achieve stardom and success the star needs to commodify themselves, but also that the commodities they sell then become part of their star image.

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Fans automatically 'shipped' (wanted two people to be ina  romantic relationship) after Spiderman: Homecoming in 2016. They both saw other people, in July 2021 they confirmed their relationship after photos of them kissing were published by Page Six.

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Zendaya and co-star (from Euphoria) Jacob Elordi were rumoured to be in a relationship together after being spotted on holiday together in 2019 as well as kissing. However, the relationship ended after a few months but remain friends and co-stars.

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Zendaya was rumoured to be in a reltionship with NFL Player Odell Backham Jr. She later refers to him as her 'homie' and explains that they were just friends.

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Zendaya appeared in Trevor Jackson's single 'Like We Grown' in 2013. She never confirmed that they were romantically involved but in an interview with Vogue in 2017, she talked about having a secret boyfriend for four years and audiences speculated it was Trevor Jackson.

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This lists the political activism Zendaya took part in during her time at Disney (she refused to work on KC Undercover unless she had a black family), at the 2015 Oscars and is known for working with an all-Black team. Interestingly, Zendaya doesn't claim to be an activist but instead believes "small actions are always a good start". She does use her platform social media to raise awareness of political issues but this can come across as performative.

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Zendaya no longer affiliates with company operating Daya

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Zendaya no longer affiliates with company operating Daya

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After customer complaints of late arrivals of up to a month, the website crashing, Zendaya released a statement on Instagram stating she "no longer affliate[s] with the company that was operating DxZ [Daya by Zendaya] but i will personally ensure that each and every outstanding order and issue is resolved". This demonstrates how there is always risk when stars release commodities, and how PR teams are needed for when things don't go to plan. With Zendaya saying she will 'personally' deal with these issues maintains her 'honest' and 'authentic' star persona.

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There's a lot to love about Zendaya's clothing company Daya by Zendaya, from its gender-neutral approach to fashion to its inclusive sizing. But what customers haven't been loving so much lately is its seeming inability to fulfill all its orders on time. People have been complaining on Twitter that they haven't gotten clothes they ordered a month prior. Others are pointing out that the website has been down, and some haven't heard back from customer service.

Things might finally be looking up for these dissatisfied customers, though, now that Zendaya herself is on the case. On Thursday, she released a statement via Daya by Zendaya's Instagram. "I take these matters very seriously and value my fans who have supported DxZ," she said. "I am no longer affiliated with the company that was operating DxZ but I will personally ensure that each and every outstanding order and issue is resolved. I apologize for any frustration that my fans have experienced and promise that my team and I will be sorting this all out in the coming days." In the meantime, people can contact dayaxzendaya@gmail.com with questions.

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Zendaya Dropped the Company Running Her Clothing Line Amid Customer Complaints

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There's a lot to love about Zendaya's clothing company Daya by Zendaya, from its gender-neutral approach to fashion to its inclusive sizing. But what customers haven't been loving so much lately is its seeming inability to fulfill all its orders on time. People have been complaining on Twitter that they haven't gotten clothes they ordered a month prior.

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Zendaya launched a size-inclusive and gender neutral clothing brand Daya in 2016, saying that "It's not for me its for them [her fans]" by including luxurious items that aren't too expensive, in a range of sizes.

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Zendaya Explains Why It’s Important That Everyone Can Fit Into Her New Clothing Line

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We may know Zendaya as an actress, singer and fashion killer -- but soon we’ll know her as an amazing fashion deisgner.

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Zendaya and Tommy Hilfiger have done two collaborations. These celebrate the diversity of women's bodies having a range of models in the show. This demonstrates Zendaya's passion for fashion as well as the importance for diversity in representation.

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Tommy and Zendaya team up on a vintage collaboration

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Designer Tommy Hilfiger and singer/actress Zendaya recently collaborated for the second time, showing their collection at the heart of the Apollo Theater in Harlem for New York Fashion Week. Take a closer look.

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Zendaya and Anne Hathaway both feature in Bulgari's campaign "Unexpected Wonders". By having to acclaimed stars on this campaign uses Anne Hathaway's stardom to compare to that of Zendaya. Therefore, Zendaya's stardom must be equal Anne Hathaway as they are both running this campaign.

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Anne Hathaway has been named Bulgari 's newest ambassador.

On Tuesday, Bulgari released its latest campaign, called "Unexpected Wonders," featuring the actress alongside Zendaya, another spokesperson for the brand, as the two wander around a sumptuous palazzo wearing different statement pieces by Bulgari with the two stars taking turns narrating the video.

The campaign was shot in Rome and directed by Paolo Sorrentino, the award-winning filmmaker behind "La Grande Bellezza."

Hathaway made her debut as an ambassador during the Cannes Film Festival last week, where she wore a custom white sequined column gown by Armani Privé paired with Bulgari's Mediterranean Reverie necklace and a matching sapphire ring from the brand's high jewelry collection. She was styled by Erin Walsh.

Besides the Oscar-winning actress and Zendaya, Bulgari's new media campaign will include Blackpink's Lisa Manoban, Chinese actress Shu Qi and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, all of whom will present Bulgari's jewelry and watch collections.

In the images, Hathaway is wearing pieces from the brand's classic Serpenti range as well as jewelry and watches from the Divas' Dream collection. Zendaya is shown wearing pieces from the B.Zero1 and BB collection, while Chopra Jonas dons pieces from both the high jewelry and Serpenti collections. Manoban, known professionally as Lisa, wears necklaces and rings from the B.Zero1 and Divas' Dream collections.

Hathaway and Zendaya were photographed by Dan Jackson while Lisa and Chopra Jonas were shot by Chris Colls.

Zendaya and Lisa have been ambassadors for Bulgari since 2020, while Chopra Jonas was named one last year. Qi has been a longtime spokesperson for the brand.

READ MORE HERE: Bulgari Taps Casablanca to Revisit Serpenti Handbag Bulgari's New Ambassador Is a Rising Music Director to Watch How Anne Hathaway's Poolside Photoshoot Came Together

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Bulgari Taps Anne Hathaway as New Ambassador

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Anne Hathaway has been named Bulgari 's newest ambassador. On Tuesday, Bulgari released its latest campaign, called "Unexpected Wonders," featuring the actress alongside Zendaya, another spokesperson for the brand, as the two wander around a sumptuous palazzo wearing different statement pieces by Bulgari with the two stars taking turns narrating the video.

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The offical Lancome Instagram page posted this photo of Zendaya with the caption "Our Global Brand Ambassador Zendaya @zendaya looked so chic on Sunday’s red carpet with sultry makeup by Lancôme. #Lancome". Wearing Lancome products to formal events boosts the companies publicity and shows how stardom is exploited to constantly promote consumerism.

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lancôme Official (@lancomeofficial)

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Your browser does not support the video tag. Lancôme launches IdôleWith a global campaign fronted by Zendaya Coleman. Lancôme, the world leading luxury beauty brand, unveils a powerful global campaign to introduce its new feminine fragrance Idôle featuring its brand ambassador American actress Zendaya Coleman.

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Valentino desrcibed Zendaya as representing the "new codes of the brand" with creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli saying "she perfectly embodies and represents what Valentino is and stands for, today".

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Zendaya Just Landed a Covetable New Ambassador Role

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The Euphoria star naturally stuns as the new face of Valentino.

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As well as releasing her own music, Zendaya also releases music for the film/TV show she appears on, hightling how multi-talented she is but also how producers use her talent to release more media for the fans to consume.

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This list shows the extent of Zendaya's success shown through her repertoire of awards and nominations including: Critic's Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards, MTV Movie and TV Awards, BET Awards, CFDA Fashion Awards, Emmy Awards, Kid's Choice Awards and many more. With every award this solidifies her star image and almost serves as evidence for proving her stardom. importantly, these awards span her whole career, from Disney to Spiderman, demonstrating her talent throughout her different projects, as well as different passions such as fashion.

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Making an impact! Zendaya has officially taken over Hollywood and is proving her talents by racking up some pretty major awards and iconic movie roles.

In March 2021, the former Disney Channel star opened up about "gratitude" while giving an inspiring speech at the Critics' Choice Awards. During the awards show, Zendaya accepted the SeeHer Award, which celebrated her career and continuous projects that empower women. The actress accepted the award from Malcolm & Marie costar John David Washington, and said, "This means so much to me."

Zendaya told viewers that "gratitude" is the one word that came to mind when thinking about the award. "Especially with the year everyone has had. To continue to be grateful for every single moment, big and small," the alum said. "To be grateful for the people in our world and in our life that make the work we do possible. To continue to make sure we hold onto our loved ones a little bit tighter, and make sure we call them, acknowledge them, tell them we love them. And take in moments like this."

The HBO star continued, "I would absolutely not be here if it weren't for the incredible women that have paved the way for me to be here. So also, I'm extremely grateful for those women. This is very, very special. Thank you so, so much, and - not to overuse the word, but - I am incredibly grateful for this moment."

This latest accolade comes months after Zendaya made history at the Emmy Awards in September 2020. The "All for Us" songstress nabbed the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Rue in Euphoria. Accepting the award at 24 years old made her the youngest-ever winner in this particular category.

"I know this feels like a really weird time to be celebrating, but I just want to say that there is hope in the young people out there," the actress said during her speech at the time. "I know that our TV show doesn't always feel like a great example of that, but there is hope in the young people. And I just want to say to all my peers out there doing the work in the streets, I see you, I admire you, I thank you, and yeah, thank you so, so much! This is - whoa, OK, thank you!"

Zendaya has been honored with many awards for acting, fashion and more throughout her time in the spotlight. Scroll through our gallery for a breakdown of all her accolades over the years.

Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.

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All the Awards! Breaking Down Zendaya's Accolades Over the Years

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Making an impact! Zendaya has officially taken over Hollywood and is proving her talents by racking up some pretty major awards and iconic movie roles. In March 2021, the former Disney Channel star opened up about "gratitude" while giving an inspiring speech at the Critics' Choice Awards.

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'Points' system divides film's earnings amongst cast and crew

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'Points' system divides film's earnings amongst cast and crew

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A 'points' system was created to share the film's wealth amongst the cast and crew of 22 people. This minimises the gap between star and crew and shows how valued each crew member is to make this film as well as adding to her 'ordinary' image.

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Here's Zendaya's full acceptance speech for lead actress in a drama series for #Euphoria. https://t.co/h3GrtHDmKy

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Emmy Awards 2022: The Complete Winners List

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Here are all the winners from the 2022 Emmys.

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Here's Zendaya's full acceptance speech for lead actress in a drama series for #Euphoria. https://t.co/h3GrtHDmKy https://t.co/qRsOpZaLfI

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Here's Zendaya's full acceptance speech for lead actress in a drama series for #Euphoria. https://t.co/h3GrtHDmKy pic.twitter.com/qRsOpZaLfI
— Variety (@Variety) September 13, 2022

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Emmy Awards 2022: The Complete Winners List

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Here are all the winners from the 2022 Emmys.

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Here's Zendaya's full acceptance speech for lead actress in a drama series for #Euphoria. https://t.co/h3GrtHDmKy https://t.co/qRsOpZaLfI

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Here's Zendaya's full acceptance speech for lead actress in a drama series for #Euphoria. https://t.co/h3GrtHDmKy https://t.co/qRsOpZaLfI

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Here's Zendaya's full acceptance speech for lead actress in a drama series for #Euphoria. https://t.co/h3GrtHDmKy

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Emmy Awards 2022: The Complete Winners List

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Here are all the winners from the 2022 Emmys.

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Zendaya starred in and was executive producer of Netflix film Malcolm & Marie (2021) that was shot suring the Covid pandemic. This was Zendaya's first adult character and was a clear shift into adult stardom.

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Ironically, Zendaya's roles that catapulted her into stardom was when she was playing a teenager. Although strikingly different, she played MJ in the Spiderman franchise and Rue in Euphoria. not only are these characters transitioning into adulthood but she also is at this time. The success of these roles afford Zendaya to bridge the gap between 'Disney child star' to 'adult Hollywood star'.

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Zendaya plays Rue Bennett who faces drug-addiciton whilst also trying to navigate high-school life. Euphoria was HBO's first teen drama and without a doubt it paid off. There was a symbiosis between Zendaya and Euphoria: fans that grew up with Zendaya from her Disney days now could watch a more age-appropriate teen drama. Euphoria was a huge success one reason being because of Zendaya's rapidly growing fan-base.

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Released in the same year as Spiderman: Homecoming demonstrates the versatility of Zendaya's stardom jumping across the genres of action to musical.

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John DeFore describes Zendaya as a 'scene-stealer' in the film but interestingly also refers to her as 'Disney Chanel veteran'. This could be because Zendaya was still appearing in KC Undercover and was relatively unknown at the time. It could  show the difficulty of escaping the legacy of a Disney child star. But in the context of Zendaya's stardom now, this seems slightly insulting and invalidating her stardom because of her links to Disney.

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Tom Holland plays the beloved webslinger in his first full adventure in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe.

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Zendaya's first feature-length film was as MJ in Spiderman: Homecoming and she remains a vital character throughout the franchise.

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This single is also from Euphoria.

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Elliot's Song (From "Euphoria" An HBO Original Series)

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Elliot's Song (From "Euphoria" An HBO Original Series)

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This is a Bonus Track from Euphoria which allows fans of the show to consume other mediums, meaning Zendaya's products can be consumed across different mediums, bridging the gap between TV, Film and Music.

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Zendaya collaborated with Labyrinth to create this song for tv show Euphoria which she plays the lead-role in, illuminating her talent not only as an actor but a singer as well.

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All For Us (from the HBO Original Series Euphoria)

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All For Us (from the HBO Original Series Euphoria)

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As a single from The Greatest Showman, both Zac Efron and Zendaya are on the song's credits. Ironically, they both originated as Disney Stars and made it all the way to Hollywood, but with singing and dancing still central to their careers, especially in this film.

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Zendaya featured with Chris Brown for this song. Due to Chris Brown being an abuser to Rihanna, this feels like an unlikely duo, and unfitting for Zendaya's star image by affiliating herself with an abuser.

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K.C. Undercover Theme Song

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Keep It Undercover (Theme Song From "K.C. Undercover")

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Keep It Undercover (Theme Song From "K.C. Undercover")

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On Spotify, the artist names for this album are Zendaya and Bella Thorne. This shows the horizontal integration of Disney and the utilization of its ancillary markets to optimize profits by releasing an album alongside the Shake It Up programme,

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Shake It Up: Made In Japan (Original Soundtrack)

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Shake It Up: Made In Japan (Original Soundtrack)

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Zendaya released this song in 2011 but this wasn't featured on Shake It Up. This was Zendaya's first single not owned by Walt Disney Records.

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Although Zendaya was still a Disney Channel star at the time, by appearing on these shows signals her move away from child entertainment as well as her own transition into adulthood and her early 20s.

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Zendaya was the lead-role and also co-produced K.C. Undercover which would be her last Disney Channel show. This could eb signalling towards her move away from children's entertainment or Disney needing a new star for a new generation on child audiences.

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Zendaya was the youngest to appear on Dancing With The Stars at the time, aged 16 and came runners-up. Interestingly, Zendaya wears Converse shoes with a glamorous dress, evokative of her 'ordinariness' compared with the other woman dancer who wore heels.

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Zendaya vs Jacoby Dance-Off! ~ Dancing With The Stars HD ~ Season 16 2013

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Zendaya appeared in one-off episodes in other Disney Chanel shows such as A.N.T. Farm and Good Luck Charlie. This was mutually beneficial as this solidified her stardom within Disney Channel after Shake It Up and Disney could use Zendaya's audiences across other programmes to increase the  popularity of these shows.

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She starred in another Disney Channel film Zapped (2014, Leslie Morgolis, Disney Channel) but without her previous co-star Bella Thorne, signalling her move away from Shake It Up and toward her solo career.

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Sticking with her on-screen accomplice, Disney Channel released Frenemies (2012, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Disney Channel). This allowed Zendaya to venture into film whilst keeping her audience from Shake It Up by starring in a Disney Channel film also with Bella Thorne.

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Paul McDonald, 1st ed. (2013). Hollywood Stardom. Newark: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated 

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Paul McDonald, 1st ed. (2013). Hollywood Stardom. Newark: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated 

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In Paul McDonald's chapter "Star Performance" he talks about the intersections of ethnicity and gender that are underrepresented in Hollywood stardom, resulting in it being 'almost entirely driven by white male star brands' (p. 224), placing female stardom as 'secondary or marginal' (p. 224). This is only exacerbated when ethnicity intersects with gender, highlighting the added difficulties Zendaya has faced on her journey to stardom.

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Zendaya joined hip-hop dance troupe 'Future Shock Oakland' when she was eight and stayed for three years, demonstrating her passion for dance from a young age.

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8 year old Zendaya Coleman dance performance part 2

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Zendaya's Twitter response to the 2015 Oscars racist backlash

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Zendaya's Twitter response to the 2015 Oscars racist backlash

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Zendaya posted her response to E! News "Fashion Police Oscars" co-host, Giuilana Rancic, after she claimed it looks like Zendaya "smells like patchouli oils....and weed." after seeing Zendaya's dreadlock hairstyle. Interestingly, she signs this post off as Zendaya Coleman, moving away from her star persona as 'Zendaya'. This makes this post all the more meaningful as she dissociates from her star persona, emphasising how embedded racism is within Western society because even an A-List celebrity on the red carpet cannot escape racism. In this instance, Zendaya's ethnicity is her 'master status' instead of her star power which results in this racially prejudiced action.

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In this interview, Zendaya speaks about why she goes by her first name. She also speaks up about her first red carpet appearance in 2015 and the racially motivated backlash she received because of her hair that was in locs. This explicitly highlights the ethnocentrism that underpins star publicity and Hollywood in general by othering any non-white participants, defaulting whiteness as the not only the norm but the ideal.

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The first thing you need to know about Zendaya is that you're saying her name wrong. It is not zen-DIE-uh. It's zen-DAY-uh. Maybe you could be forgiven when you consider the fact that she just turned 20 and you're probably rusty on your Disney Channel cast members. Then again, she's a legit red-carpet favorite, an accomplished musician, and oh my God, she just turned 20.
More of the latest on our January 2017 cover star:

1. Meet Daya by Zendaya, the 20-Year-Old's Inclusive Clothing Line

2. 21 Times Zendaya's Hairstyles Absolutely Slayed

3. Yet Another Reason Zendaya Is So Damn Inspiring

Before we met, I had my theory about Zendaya all fleshed out and ready to prove. First of all, she is one of the rarest breeds of celebrity-the kind who find their way through the public eye while smack in the middle of the public eye. We didn't meet Zendaya as a woman; we're watching her become a woman. Being famous invites scrutiny, and growing up as you're getting really famous invites the most intense kind of scrutiny. It's got to be a little jarring for the celebrities being watched. Or so you'd think. But so far, from everything I've read about her, Zendaya is handling her fame and newfound adulthood with dignity and grace and a distinct lack of DUIs. Look for a paparazzi picture of Zendaya giving someone the finger-it doesn't exist. Her lack of a privileged, obnoxious Hollywood demeanor makes you root for her. It makes you want your daughter to listen to her music. It makes you happy that she's on the cusp of something really big. Figuratively, yes, but literally, too.

Zendaya just moved into a house with three balconies, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a three-car garage, and one truly massive kitchen. This is where I met her recently on one of those very sunny, very optimistic, very California type of days.

"Sorry, he's putting up my security camera," says Zendaya, nodding toward the man installing a device on the side of her house. We settle down on the ledge of her hot tub, having come outside for purely practical reasons ("I don't have any furniture yet"). But even over the sound of drilling and construction, she isn't shouting to be heard. On the contrary, her voice is calm and steady.

Zendaya, born Zendaya Coleman, is poised and measured, almost serious. She's not like any 20-year-old I've ever met. "I [dropped my last name because I] just thought it was cool, like Cher or Prince." The woman, you could say, is driven, ambitious, precocious-and she has very specific plans.

A lot of them. She tells me that she might also want to be a teacher. Or possibly the next Oprah ("Zoprah!"). As we sit overlooking her pool, an inflatable frosted doughnut and a giant white swan drift by. "It's the ghetto off-brand swan, not the fancy one that was all over Snapchat and Instagram. I don't have the Rihanna swan-but I'm getting there!" she says, almost apologizing. Zendaya's wearing her high school sweatshirt, basketball shorts, and socks that read "Team Fuck You" in big black letters.

On second thought, maybe the kid inside isn't all that hidden.

In case it's not clear, Zendaya is going through a transition in her life. There's the no-furniture thing. There is the framed artwork waiting to be hung and the front door standing wide open. The windows have no signs of curtains, the walls haven't been painted, and the kitchen reminds me of a model home where the sink isn't actually connected to plumbing and the refrigerator isn't plugged in (for the record, I'm sure it is; it just looks really unused).

It's exactly the kind of house-down to the floating doughnut and sterile white walls-you'd use in a movie about a young star just starting to learn about the trappings of superstardom. This is the blank-slate house.

So it's especially fitting that Zendaya is making her major big-screen debut in a little production you may have heard of, Spider-Man: Homecoming. Sony and Marvel are keeping the details of her role secret, but it's rumored to be a good one. "Plenty of people are like, 'Why is she still on Disney Channel?'" says Zendaya, who stars in K.C. Undercover. "Well, I waited and waited for the right part, and now I get to be in Spider- Man." She leans forward in case I didn't totally catch that. Spider-Man. She gives me an arch look. Doesn't get any bigger than that.

"Everything has been a climb," says Zendaya. "And I've been able to take my family and friends with me. I came from humble beginnings." Her eyes go wide and she looks around her backyard, at the pomegranate and lemon trees, the wooden swing, the inflatable toys. "I've never had a pool before," she says, making a grand, sweeping gesture with her arm that takes in the newly planted baby palm trees and all of the unfurnished rooms inside. "I've never lived in a house this beautiful. I appreciate everything so much more because everything I have has been worked for."

When she was a regular kid with two names, Zendaya Coleman lived in Oakland in a "not-so-amazing neighborhood." She was the youngest in a big, happy family ("my support system"): two sisters, two brothers, and her parents, both teachers.

She played basketball. She coordinated clothes with her niece. "The shirts with graffiti [Alexander] Wang just did? We had those made for us in the hood. Mine was pink and had 'Daya' on the back." In other words, she was a good kid.

During the summers, she was dragged to her mom's second job at a local theater. Sounds miserable. But not for Zendaya-she was paid in chocolate-chip cookies and Snapple. She watched every play from the wings. The vast majority of the performances were Shakespeare- and most of the lines sailed over her four-year-old head. Didn't matter. Zendaya knew she wanted to be a part of this world.

Eight years later, the desire was still very much there, and Zendaya's parents drove her to a Disney audition. "I just popped up out of nowhere," she says. "And I was kicking ass. I came. I knew what I wanted. I think they saw that." They did. The audition was for a show called Shake It Up, and she landed one of the leads, Rocky Blue. Zendaya packed up her 12-year-old belongings, said good-bye to her big, happy family, and moved with her dad to Los Angeles to enter one of the most bizarre professions in the world: child acting. "It was really difficult," she says, "and I was used to having my mom." (Two years later, Zendaya was making enough that her mom could join them in L.A.)

Zendaya never went to high school in the traditional sense. Though you could argue she grew up in a place where the cliques are much worse. "I'm nice and cool with everybody, but not a lot of people know me very well," she says. She keeps to herself-a defense mechanism in a town where everyone wants something. "I have a very tight-knit circle."

You won't find her out spraying Dom with models or crashing at Taylor's for the night. And- amazingly-her goodness has been a point of some controversy. "I'm just not a social butterfly," she insists. It's been suggested that Zendaya has manufactured a squeaky-clean image that panders to her fans' parents (and their wallets) and Disney's vision for her as a wholesome role model. Her defense? "I'd rather be home with my family," she says, adding, "I've never had a desire to drink."

That's not to say she pretends to be perfect. "There is so much stress in my life," she says. "I've got family, a lot of people that depend on me and need me. I try to take care of everybody and sometimes that drives you crazy-you want everybody to be OK, and you're like, Jesus, am I OK?"

Being a 20-year-old breadwinner is exciting-and stressful. Sometimes she feels "like an old lady." And talking to her, I have to wonder: Does she even want to be famous? "Eh, I don't know. Sometimes I do; sometimes I don't." And then in a characteristically honest moment: "You just see so many people who are miserable here. It's like, Why?" She leans forward so her hair falls in her face-a habit of hers-and plays with her curls while she talks. "It's OK to be focused, but I can't get to a point where I don't like what I'm doing. It's gotta be fun and creative and good."

Plus there are real upsides. "I love to slay a red carpet. When I step on one, I'm a different person," she says, "like Sasha Fierce and Beyoncé." She pops up from the ledge of the hot tub and starts clomping around, shoulders hunched. "Honestly, I walk like an old man-the Coleman Trudge." A second later, Zendaya's smiling, strutting, and waving coolly for imaginary cameras. She's five foot nine and rail thin. If she weren't already an actress, she'd be a supermodel. "On the red carpet, I'm this dainty, slow, elegant gazelle." She's enamored with her stylist, Law Roach ("we're family"), and they have their own mantra of sorts: "We don't do pretty. Pretty is boring."

And pretty isn't getting Zendaya the kind of attention she's after. "When young women see me go out, with an entire world to criticize what I put on, and do whatever the hell I want? It's empowering [for them]," she says. "It's not just about clothes. It's never been just about clothes." She stops talking for a second to push the hair out of her face. "We do what we want," she says slowly, emphatically pausing between every word.

Case in point: the incident of February 2015. It was Zendaya's first major red carpet. She wore an off-the-shoulder Vivienne Westwood gown and her hair in locs. She arrived at the Oscars looking like a million bucks. And then this happened: "Like, I feel like she smells like patchouli oil. Or weed," said E!'s Giuliana Rancic. Many saw it as a moment of casual racism-one that shocked the country. "This is way bigger than a beef between us," says Zendaya. "I heard about the comment through Twitter, and my first reaction was angry-I got really mad. Then I realized this has nothing to do with us. It was one small look into an overall misconception about a large group of people."

Zendaya sat in her room and fought the urge to post an angry tweet right away. She mulled things over, wrote about prejudice, and posted it on her Twitter and Instagram pages. It was heartfelt. It was well researched. It was the opposite of Rancic's off-the-cuff remark. "I gave it to my mom to proofread-I literally can't spell to save my life-and that was it." Up it went. And by the next morning, everyone was talking about Zendaya, and The Washington Post was asking the question on all of our minds: "Who is Zendaya?"

A relative unknown, Zendaya was steering a national dialogue about race with poise and tact. "I got all of these pictures from women wearing locs. I made it my Twitter header, and that became empowering," she says. "It became something very positive. It allowed us to talk about things that make us uncomfortable." Rancic issued an apology. "There was a little girl for Halloween last year that was me from the Oscars," Zendaya says proudly. And the world got Zendaya Barbie. "I think that was a big moment not just for me but for women of color," she says. "It's a step in the right direction. But we have a long way to go."

Even now, Zendaya is grappling with guilt about her fame and has mixed feelings about her success. "I ask myself, Would I get the same opportunities-would I have this role or that role-if I were a darker- skinned black women? And the answer is no," she says. "But the real thing is how do you take what you've been given and use it to better the situations of people that are your peers, your brothers and sisters?"

Right now, Zendaya is filming a second movie, The Greatest Showman on Earth, about a circus, with Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron. She has a new clothing line called Daya by Zendaya. She's a face of CoverGirl. And she's recording a second album. "I want people to be impressed." One thing's for sure. We'll all know how to say her name.

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The Superpowerful Way Zendaya Is Speaking Up About Race and Privilege

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The first thing you need to know about Zendaya is that you're saying her name wrong. It is not zen-DIE-uh. It's zen-DAY-uh. Maybe you could be forgiven when you consider the fact that she just turned 20 and you're probably rusty on your Disney Channel cast members.

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Zendaya first appeared in the Disney Channel show Shake It Up with Bella Thorne.