Zendaya wishes she had gone to high school in real life, not just on screen

On the cover of Vogue magazine, the young actress, who was propelled to the forefront by Disney, looks back on her career as a child star.

In full promotion of Challengers directed by Luca Guadagnino, Zendaya made the cover of Vogue in the United States and the United Kingdom. The opportunity to look back on his career, his opportunities, but also the doors that are now closed to him. Among his regrets, that of never having been to high school. A shame for the twenty-seven-year-old actress, who is mainly known for her student roles. A singularity that she is the first to highlight:

“I'm still in a high school somewhere (in films or series, editor’s note), she declares. But, mind you, I never went to high school.”

It is true that after making his debut at fourteen in Shake It Up!a Disney Channel series in which she plays a schoolgirl, the young woman landed the main role of Officer K.C., another program on the channel. At the same time, Zendaya was chosen to become the new face of MJ, friend and love interest of Peter Parker in the last three films Spiderman. Finally added to this is her remarkable interpretation of Rue Bennett, a young high school student struggling with drugs in Euphoria, a performance which earned him two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe. From middle school corridors to high school corridors, it is true that Zendaya has been confined to school for a very long time.

However, this cycle seems to be ending. This year, Zendaya is starring in two films: the second part of Dunein which she responds to Timothée Chalamet under the leadership of Denis VilleneuveAnd Challengerswhich she shares the bill with Josh O'Connor And Mike Faist. In the latter, she plays Tashi Duncan, an injured tennis player who becomes her husband's coach. An experience that the star admits to having found “refreshing”despite some doubts:

“It was also a little scary, because I was like: 'I hope people find me credible at my age, or maybe a little older, because I have friends who have kids or are going to have kids.'.”

This is also the first time that Zendaya plays the main role on the big screen, an important milestone that she looks back on:

“Now when I experience these moments in my career – like the first time I direct a film that's going to be shown in a cinema – I feel like I'm shrinking and not being able to enjoy all the things that I have. happen, because I am like that”declares Zendaya, clenching her fist. “I'm very tense, and I think that comes from being a kid and never having a chance to try anything. I wish I had gone to school.”

Zendaya in the naughty (and tennis) trailer for Challengers

Referring to her status as a child star, the young woman gives her opinion on this practice, while the current context calls into question the exploitation of young actors, often subjected to psychological or physical abuse. For Zendaya, nothing like that, but still the impression of having to embody a “to be perfect, and to be everything that everyone wants me to be, and to meet all of those expectations”. The actress continues:

“I have complicated feelings about kids and fame and being in the public eye, or being a child actor. We've seen a lot of cases where that's been detrimental. And I think it's only now, as an adult, that I'm starting to say to myself: 'Oh, okay, wait a minute: I've only ever done what I knew, and that's all I've ever known.'. I'm almost going through my “angsty teenager” phase, because I didn't really have the time to do it before. I felt like I was thrust into a very adult position: I became the financial breadwinner of my family very early on, and there was a lot of role reversal, and I just became an adult. ”

Despite these regrets, the actress seems to be flourishing in a career, which is only just beginning. This year, however, she is expected to reprise her roles as Rue for the third season. of Euphoria and MJ for Spider-Man 4 that she will tour with her companion, Tom Holland. The actress also took on the role of producer for Challengersa role already experienced on Officer K.C. And Euphoriaand which will surely stick to his skin.

Challengers can be seen in cinemas on April 24.

Will season 3 of Euphoria see the light of day?