Zendaya might be one of Hollywood’s IT girls, but the industry doesn’t make her feel safe. The actress recently opened up about dealing with the pressures of fame. She admitted that although she handles it with grace, it can feel “terrifying” to be put on a pedestal.
Over the weekend, she joined Timothee Chalamet and Austin Butler in New York City for a screening event for Dune: Part Two. During the panel, a fan questioned the comparisons between the obsessive Messianic cult following depicted in the sci-fi film and the state of celebrity fandoms in pop culture currently. Zendaya, who began her career at 13, didn’t hesitate to pour her heart out, telling the fan:
“I feel like, often, I am not cut out for that part of it. I do love my job, I’m so grateful. I love doing the work, I love being on set, I do love moments like this — don’t get me wrong — but I am terrified of that part of it, often.”
The 28-year-old continued, noting that she grew up an introvert, which made fame difficult for her to handle. “This part isn’t natural,” Zendaya confessed per Deadline. “That is a huge reason why fashion became important to me because it became like armor to pretend to go out and do the job.” Concluding her speech, the Challengers actress admitted that she understood the audience member’s perspective and “that’s what’s terrifying to me.” She added:
“I would like to be a person and for people to see me as that first. I don’t necessarily know if I want or can handle all of that or want [that] — some people that’s part of it, they enjoy the power that comes from it, and I don’t know if that’s for me.”
Zendaya Has ‘Complicated Feelings’ About Being A Child Actor
This isn’t the first time Zendaya has spoken about the cons of stardom. In her April 2024 Vogue cover, the Golden Globe winner expressed displeasure towards the concept of child stars despite being one. “I don’t know how much of a choice I had. I have complicated feelings about kids and fame and being in the public eye or being a child actor,” she explained. The Spider-Man star described it as “detrimental,” saying she only realized it when she became an adult.
“As an adult, am I starting to go, ‘Oh, okay, wait a minute: I’ve only ever done what I’ve known, and this is all I’ve known,'” Zendaya said. “I’m almost going through my angsty teenager phase now because I didn’t really have the time to do it before. I felt like I was thrust into a very adult position,” she concluded.
