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Credit: Walt Disney Records
Zendaya has really come a long way as an actress. From her major Marvel role as MJ in the Spider-Man movies to the acclaimed TV drama Euphoria (which is set to return amid the 2026 TV schedule). With all of the A-lister’s success, some may forget that she got her start on Disney Channel. That network brought the Emmy winner notoriety as a performer, but she’s now getting real about why she has a “really complicated relationship” with her former status as a child star (and I totally get it).
Back in the 2010s, teenage Zendaya was essentially a Disney Channel phenom, having led the shows Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover and starred in the sci-fi DCOM Zapped. Despite having success at such a young age, the 29-year-old shared with The Mirror her completely understandable take on the costs and benefits of finding stardom so early in life:
I have a really complicated relationship when it comes to starting in the industry so young. On one hand I am grateful for the opportunities and experience then on the other, there is no doubt I missed out on a lot of regular teenage stuff. My parents were and are super protective of me. I wouldn’t have been able to navigate being in the industry at such a young age without them.
It’s true that the life of a child star isn’t easy, for a number of reasons. An actor essentially grows up before the public’s eyes, which means going through adolescence and the awkward teen years as a public figure. On top of that, there are also the major pitfalls of fame that everyone can succumb to.
Fortunately, Zendaya didn’t experience the dark side of child stardom that many others have experienced As the talented actress said, she had a strong support system, thanks to her parents. The Space Jam: A New Legacy star has also spoken highly of her folks, and it’s not surprising. Her mom’s second job as a videographer actually helped pay for her tuition at summer conservatories, where the starlet put her talents to the test.
Before spreading her wings in movies, Zendaya dealt with a wave of Disney Channel rejection, as her attempts to land a role in The Descendants didn’t pan out. However, a new window of opportunity opened when she landed her role in the Spider-Man movies, and that wouldn’t have happened if she continued with Disney. She also eventually received the chance to play the lead role in HBO’s Euphoria after feeling a connection to her character, Rue. That show essentially opened the door for her to take on more mature content.
The former child star has also dipped her toes into other interesting pieces of work, like the movie Malcolm & Marie (which is streaming on your Netflix subscription). There’s also her tennis romance film Challengers. At present, Zendaya’s 2026 movie schedule is stacked. She’s co-starring with Robert Pattinson in The Drama and working with fiancé Tom Holland in The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. On top of that, she’s also reprising the role of Chani in Dune: Part Three.
Being a child star may have prevented Zendaya from being a normal teenager but, at the very least, she can say it wasn’t all for naught. Plus, the Greatest Showman actress previously said she was still grateful she was once a Disney kid since it gave her the experience she needed to get to where she is now in her career. Personally, I think she has quite a bit to be proud of.