Zendaya

Zendaya Bio

Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman (born September 1, 1996) is an American actress and singer. She has earned two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award, and in 2022 Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her films as a leading actress have grossed more than $3.9 billion worldwide. She first rose to prominence on the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up before becoming one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed performers.

She is widely recognized for her role as Rue Bennett in the HBO drama series Euphoria, and for her performances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man films and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies. Beyond acting, Zendaya has built a respected career in fashion and music, releasing her debut studio album in 2013.

Early Life and Background

Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman was born on September 1, 1996, in Oakland, California. Her first name comes from the Shona name Tendai, meaning “to give thanks.” Both of her parents worked as teachers. Her father, Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, is African American with Nigerian ancestry, and her mother, Claire Stoermer, has German and Scottish ancestry. She has five older half-siblings from her father’s previous relationships.

Zendaya attended Fruitvale Elementary School, where her mother taught. Outgoing at home but shy at school, she repeated kindergarten at her parents’ encouragement to build confidence. After trying basketball, soccer, and track, she found her passion in performance. At six years old, she and two friends performed a play for Black History Month. By eight, she joined Future Shock Oakland, a hip-hop dance group where she performed for three years, and she also spent two years studying hula with the Academy of Hawaiian Arts.

She went on to attend the Oakland School for the Arts, where she trained seriously in theater. Her first acting role was a silkworm in a school production of James and the Giant Peach. At the Berkeley Playhouse she played Little Ti Moune in Once on This Island, and at TheaterWorks Palo Alto she played Joe in Caroline, or Change, a role originally written for a male performer. By sixth grade she was appearing in Shakespeare productions including Richard III, As You Like It, and Twelfth Night. In seventh grade, she and her father moved to a small apartment in downtown Los Angeles so she could pursue her career, while her mother remained in Oakland. She graduated from Oak Park High School in 2015.

Path to Stardom

Zendaya’s professional path began while still a child. She modeled for Macy’s, Mervyn’s, and Old Navy and appeared as a backup dancer in a Sears commercial with Selena Gomez. In 2009 she was a featured performer in the Kidz Bop video for Katy Perry’s “Hot n Cold.” Later that year, she was among 200 girls who auditioned for the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up. Although she originally tried out for the role of CeCe Jones, she was cast as Rocky Blue opposite Bella Thorne.

The first season of Shake It Up premiered on November 7, 2010, and became Disney Channel’s second-highest-rated premiere. Her growing visibility on the show led to early music releases, including the 2011 singles “Swag It Out” and “Watch Me” with Bella Thorne. She signed with Hollywood Records and, in 2013, released her self-titled debut album, which peaked at number 51 on the Billboard 200 and was led by the single “Replay.”

She continued to build her profile with the Disney Channel original film Frenemies in 2012, a runner-up finish on season 16 of Dancing with the Stars in 2013, and the Disney Channel film Zapped in 2014. She then starred in and produced K.C. Undercover from 2015 to 2018, helping shape the character and series title. These early roles gave her the platform and experience to transition into more dramatic and high-profile work.

Zendaya Career

Early Career (2009-2016)

Zendaya’s first notable role was Rocky Blue on the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up, which ran from 2010 to 2013 and established her as a rising young star. In 2012, she made her film debut in the Disney Channel Original Movie Frenemies, and in 2014 she starred in Zapped. Her career quickly expanded beyond television, as she signed with Hollywood Records, released singles including the chart-peaking “Replay,” and published her 2013 book Between U and Me.

By 2015, she was headlining her own Disney Channel series, K.C. Undercover, on which she also served as a producer. She moved from Disney’s Hollywood Records to Republic Records and released the single “Something New” with Chris Brown in 2016. These projects gave Zendaya valuable experience as both performer and producer before she made the leap to feature films.

Breakthrough (2017-2021)

Zendaya made her feature film debut in 2017 as Michelle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Homecoming, which grossed more than $880 million worldwide. That same year, she starred opposite Zac Efron in the musical The Greatest Showman. Her duet with Efron, “Rewrite the Stars,” from the film’s soundtrack, charted in the top 20 and earned multi-platinum status in several countries.

In 2019, Zendaya took on the role of Rue Bennett in the HBO teen drama Euphoria, a critically acclaimed performance that redefined her career. At the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards in 2020, she won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, becoming the youngest recipient of the award at 24. She also reprised her role as Michelle in Spider-Man: Far From Home, which grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide.

In 2021, Zendaya starred in and produced Sam Levinson’s Malcolm & Marie, voiced Lola Bunny in Space Jam: A New Legacy, and portrayed Chani in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, the first installment of a two-part adaptation. She returned for Spider-Man: No Way Home later that year, earning further praise for her on-screen chemistry with Tom Holland.

Notable Works and Milestones

Zendaya’s signature role remains Rue Bennett in Euphoria, the performance that earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award, along with widespread critical acclaim. Her roles across the Spider-Man films and the Dune franchise have made her one of the most bankable leading actresses in Hollywood, with her films grossing more than $3.9 billion worldwide. In 2022, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world, cementing her status as both a major star and a cultural figure.

Zendaya Award Nominations

Zendaya has received numerous award nominations across film, television, and music. She earned additional Emmy nominations for Euphoria in subsequent seasons and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for her work in the series. She has also received Golden Globe nominations, including a Best Actress in a Motion Picture nomination for the romantic sports drama Challengers at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in 2025.

Zendaya Awards Won

Zendaya has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, for her role as Rue Bennett in Euphoria. She also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama at the 80th Golden Globe Awards in 2023. Additional honors include the CinemaCon Star of the Year Award in 2023, the CFDA Fashion Icon Award in 2021, and the CNMI Green Carpet Fashion Awards Visionary Award in 2020.

Zendaya Family

Zendaya was raised in a household shaped by education and the arts. Her parents, Kazembe Ajamu Coleman and Claire Stoermer, both worked as teachers, and her father later moved with her to Los Angeles to support her acting ambitions. She has five older half-siblings on her father’s side. Her marriage to actor Tom Holland makes British television personality Dominic Holland her father-in-law.

Personal Life

Zendaya owns a home in Los Angeles and a condominium in Brooklyn. She identifies as an intersectional feminist and is a vegetarian. In November 2021, she and her Spider-Man co-star Tom Holland confirmed that they were in a relationship, and the couple moved into a £3 million home in London in 2023. They became engaged in December 2024, and in March 2026, during the 32nd Actor Awards, her longtime stylist Law Roach announced that they had secretly married; Holland later confirmed their marriage in an Esquire UK interview in June 2026.