Been That Girl: No One Is Touching Zendaya, Respectfully.

Written By: Jillian Stewart

WNBA & Trending Culture Contributor

Zendaya's breakout role was on Disney Channel's Shake It Up.

Zendaya starred in KC Undercover she also served as a co-producer and producer on the show during its run.

Zendaya in the custom Tom Ford breastplate in 2020.

Zendaya as Rue in Euphoria.

Zendaya poses on the red carpet at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Zendaya, 30 years old and one of the most accomplished actresses of her generation.

In 2019, Issa Rae asked the question that all millennials, Gen Zers, and, well, anyone has probably thought when it comes to Zendaya: “So I just wonder, like, when you wake up in the morning and you look in the mirror, how much you have to fight the urge to say, ‘Wow, these other bitches aren’t even close’?”

This singular quote, unironically, is the perfect way to encapsulate the woman that is Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman.

To truly understand Zendaya’s star power and the chokehold she has on not one, but two generations, you have to take it back to the beginning of her career. While her Disney Channel debut during its prime as Rocky Blue in Shake It Up propelled her to childhood stardom, her career actually began much earlier than that.

Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman with her parents.

Born in Oakland, California, shoutout to The Bay, Zendaya was raised by two parents who were both teachers and big supporters of the arts. Her mom specifically worked at an inner-city elementary school and as a house manager for the California Shakespeare Theater. This is where Zendaya found her love and passion for acting.

Fast-forward to 2009. After some modeling gigs and advertising appearances, her first taste of the spotlight came from none other than being a prominently featured performer in the Kidz Bop cover of Katy Perry’s then-Hot 100 hit “Hot N Cold.”

Shortly after, she booked her breakout role as Rocky Blue on Disney Channel at its peak in Shake It Up. Fans fell in love with her instantly, myself included. From her undeniable comedic timing and dance background to her undisputed passion for her craft, it was impossible not to love her.

For young Black girls like myself, we now had a new star on our screens who looked just like us. She was someone following in the footsteps of Raven-Symoné and predating China Anne McClain’s introduction in A.N.T. Farm just a few months later. That role was pivotal for Zendaya’s career, and her stint at Disney lasted almost a decade. She starred in two Disney Channel Original Movies, Frenemies and Zapped, and subsequently led her own show, K.C. Undercover, before exiting the network to pursue more adult projects.

In between her Disney projects, Zendaya briefly dabbled in music, beginning with her single “Swag It Out,” followed by her self-titled debut album, Zendaya, and eventually closing out that chapter as a traditional recording artist with “Something New,” featuring Chris Brown. “Replay,” the lead single from her self-titled album, peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, officially cementing her as a triple threat in the industry.

Zendaya has expressed that making music was difficult for her because it required a lot more vulnerability of the personal variety than acting. So, she stepped away from the booth and shifted her focus primarily to being on set.

Zendaya made her major motion picture debut in Spider-Man: Homecoming, briefly letting audiences know she was Michelle Jones, also known as MJ. Shortly after, she shared the screen with Hugh Jackman and fellow Disney Channel legend Zac Efron in The Greatest Showman.

By 2019, Zendaya had already cemented herself as a fashion icon alongside her longtime stylist Law Roach. If there is one thing Zendaya and Law are going to do, it is break the internet. At the 2018 Met Gala, she transformed into a modern-day Joan of Arc in a silver armored Versace gown. Just one year later, she arrived at the Met Gala in a light-up Tommy Hilfiger Cinderella gown with Law as her fairy godfather. The look was not only iconic, but also symbolic. Right before taking on her most mature role yet, Zendaya was officially saying goodbye to her Disney era.

From the custom Tom Ford breastplate she wore to the 2020 Critics Choice Awards to the vintage Mugler robot suit that completely took over the Dune: Part Two premiere, Zendaya and Law know how to create a moment. She does not simply show up in a pretty dress. Every look tells a story, matches the project, and gives us something to talk about, further displaying her masterful artistry.

Then, as the first season of the HBO series Euphoria premiered, the world got its first real look at Zendaya in a serious adult role. Playing Rue Bennett, a high school student struggling with drug addiction and all of the darkness that comes with it, she made fans truly begin to understand her star power, myself included. Her talent was mesmerizing. She played the character so effectively that she made you forget you were watching THE Zendaya on television.

With Spider-Man, The Greatest Showman, and Euphoria out in the world, it was off to the races. She continued starring alongside her fiancé, Tom Holland, in the Spider-Man franchise, officially entered the Dune franchise, and took on films like Malcolm & Marie and Challengers, further proving her undeniable star power.

There is truly a Zendaya for everyone. Younger millennials and older Gen Zers grew up with her as Rocky Blue and K.C. Cooper. We watched her go from Disney Channel star to Emmy-winning actress right before our eyes. Younger members of Gen Z may know her best as Rue, MJ, Chani, or simply the woman who takes over the internet every time she steps onto a red carpet. No matter when you were introduced to her, it feels like Zendaya has always been part of the culture.

For Black girls like me, there is also something special about watching someone who looks like us go from Disney Channel to the Met Gala, the Emmys, and some of the biggest movies in the world. We grew up with her, and now the generation behind us gets to look up to her too. That is why her impact feels so much bigger than any one movie, show, or red-carpet look.

This year alone, Zendaya is one of the highest-grossing movie stars of 2026. Not one, not two, but three of her films, The Drama, The Odyssey, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, have made their mark at the box office, with Dune: Part Threes oon to be added to the list when it releases in December.

Zendaya is a beloved actress not just because of her talent or impeccable fashion, but because of the way she carries herself, her infectious personality, and her dedication to her work. You can see in her interviews that it is clear she is doing what she was put here to do.

Nothing about Zendaya’s career has ever felt forced. She has continued to grow, try new things, and take on bigger challenges while still feeling like the same girl many of us first met on Shake It Up. The rest of the world may finally understand her star power, but some of us have known she was that girl from the very beginning.

So, it is safe to say that Issa Rae’s question still holds up. If I met Zendaya today, I would simply ask her the same thing.

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