She is a signer, a dancer and an actress but this star thinks the biggest part of her career is being a role model – and staying a role model.
Zendaya may be tempting fate in committing to the often hard to live up role but she maintains she will not struggle like her other child star colleagues.
The 19-year-old has just been named Complex Magazine’s Woman of Next Year and has made it clear she does not plan to have a ‘Miley Moment’.
In the interview – which is in the December/January issue – the star swears unlike other Disney and Nickelodeon stars before her she does not plan to go off the rails.
When asked about Miley Cyrus’ departure from the good clean Disney kid mold, Zendaya said: ‘A lot of them were forced into being role models and they had to pretend to be something that they didn’t feel matched up with who they were. And that’s because they started really, really young. So you’ve got to realize when you’re really young you don’t know who you are yet. And as soon as you figure it out, you’ve already been forced to become something that you didn’t really know you signed up for. Everyone has their different ways of learning and growing and finding out who they are, and you can’t fault people for that. Again, I think with all the prior Disney stars, at least you can say they are themselves now.’
The same will not happen to her, the teen said: ‘In order to avoid those problems just be yourself from the beginning and be honest with the world, because that’s the only thing you can do. There will be no surprises… I’m not suddenly going to be like woo, crazy.’
While she does not want to go from Disney to disaster, the Shake It Up actress said she does want to go from child actor to Oscar winner – but knows it will be a long road.
‘A small part is OK. [Like] I’m Denzel Washington’s daughter. I have one scene, I have four lines, but at least I got to interact with Denzel Washington and it’s an Oscar-nominated film. It’s OK. I don’t need a big role; I don’t need to be the lead; I don’t need to be the star. I don’t mind being the little side guy; I don’t mind being the janitor who’s like, ”Hey.” It’s like, yeah, well, I said ”Hey” to Johnny Depp, so suck it.’