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Zendaya Coleman is a critically acclaimed actress. She has been awarded two Emmys and one Golden Globe for her role as Rue Bennett in the television series “Euphoria”. She is a household name, who has been on screen since 2010. Though she did not have any films come out in the year 2025, it is without doubt that 2026 will be the year of Zendaya.
With fame, comes fandom. Fans have been nicknamed “Zswaggers”, in reference to an old instagram post made by Zendaya. The internet also “meme-ified” her in 2025, after her Met Gala look that year. Comedy was found in her hat she wore, and some dug up old pictures of her wearing a disproportionately large hat. Fake theories were created from the hat and old videos, creating the “Zendaya Hat Theory” meme.
Zendaya Origins
Like many stars, Zendaya started her career on Disney Channel. Her first role was on “Shake It Up”, playing Rocky Blue alongside Bella Thorne. The two played best friends who aspire to become dancers, and landed roles as backup dancers. While starring in Shake It Up, the pair were the protagonists in the Disney Channel original movie “Frenimies”. Later, Zendaya would play Zoey Stevens in another Disney Channel original movie, “Zapped”.
After “Shake It Up”, Zendaya landed the lead role in “K.C. Undercover” in 2015, which is about a spy family. Zendaya also served as a producer of the show. She was a strong advocate for representation of a black family, and helped with casting. When the “K.C. Undercover” ended, it marked the end of her time with Disney and would mark the next steps in her career. Unlike many other Disney stars, Zendaya was successfully able to make the switch from juvenility to maturity.
Post-Disney Career
Zendaya’s next role after Disney was “Spider-Man: Homecoming”, where she played MJ. She reprised this role for the following two sequels. She plays the love interest of Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland. The two were suspected to be in a relationship with one another during the press tour for the first film; however, a breakup was speculated in 2019. Both were reported to be dating other people up until 2021, when paparazzi photographed the former lovers kissing in a car. Though not confirmed by either actor, rumors from Law Roach, Zendaya’s stylist, would spread that “Tomdaya” got married in secret.
The same year as “Spider-Man: Homecoming”, she played Anne Wheeler in “The Greatest Showman”. Zendaya’s role was reminiscent of her Disney days, featuring her singing and playing the love interest of Zac Efron.
Shortly after her back-to-back films, Zendaya gave voice acting a real shot after minor roles from her time at Disney. She voiced a yeti by the name of Meechee in “Smallfoot”. A more well-known one is that of Lola Bunny in “Space Jam: A New Legacy”, sequel to the iconic “Space Jam”. Fans of the original were not happy with her take on the character, but especially unhappy with the rework of her design. Zendaya and the film received heavy backlash. However, Zendaya appeared to be unaware that the changes would result in enraged fans.
“I definitely know we love [Lola Bunny], but I did not know it was going to be as much of a focus as it was,” Zendaya said.
Another big role Zendaya would land is Chani in Dune. Her character would only appear in less than ten minutes of “Dune: Part One”. However in “Dune: Part Two”, her screentime would substantially increase to over 30 minutes.
Shortly after the second “Dune” installment, Zendaya would star as Tashi Donaldson in “Challengers”. She would work with world renowned coach Brad Gilbert to master the art of tennis. By the time the Oscar award nominations would come, “Zswaggers” were outraged that Zendaya failed to receive a best actress nomination; surprisingly.
2026 Projects
On top of her extensive work, Zendaya has a big year planned for 2026. She will be reprising two of her most iconic movie roles, MJ in the Spider-Man tetralogy, and Chani in the Dune trilogy.
April 12, 2026, Zendaya would also continue as her most awarded role, Rue Bennett. “Euphoria” will be premiering until May 31, 2026. Also in the month of April, she and Robert Pattinson starred alongside each other in “The Drama”.
Though she will be returning to many of her iconic roles, Zendaya will be in a new project. “The Odyssey” is receiving a movie adaptation, releasing July 17, 2026. Zendaya will play the Olympian Goddess of wisdom, Athena. Former co-stars Holland and Pattinson will appear alongside her. Other big names attached to “The Odyssey” are Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Elliot Page.
2027 and on
Following her extensive schedule, Zendaya expressed she wanted to take a step back from the spotlight. However, “Zswaggers” do not have to fear that she will go into hiding. She is giving voice acting another shot in “Shrek 5” as Felicia, Shrek’s daughter. This project is set to release in 2027.
Unlike any of her other projects, Zendaya is set to appear in a biopic. “Be My Baby” is based on the autobiography of Ronnie Spector. Lead singer of the band from the 1960’s, Ronnie Spector was known for her trademark voice. “Be My Baby” is their most famous song, which was one of the most popular songs in the sixties. In 1999, it would be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Before her passing in 2022, Spector handpicked Zendaya to portray her in her film. This film was announced in 2026, but there is no word on the release date. Production has not yet begun, but fans are hopeful for a 2027 release.
