Zendaya has been in the public eye as a performer since she was a teenager, which she believes is why people have trouble seeing her in more adult roles.
The 24-year-old won her first Emmy last year, playing troubled high school student Rue Bennett on HBO EBOHORIA and playing 36-year-old John David Washington’s youngest boyfriend in Malcolm & Marie, debuting on Netflix on February 5th.
The actress addressed the 12-year age gap between her and her co-star in a new interview with E !, saying she believes the controversy is due to the fact that “I’ve been playing a 16-year-old since I was 16.”
Not a teenager: Zendaya has been in the public eye as a singer since she was a teenager, which she thinks is why people have trouble seeing her in more adult roles.
Age gap: The actress addressed the 12-year age gap between her and her co-star in a new interview with E! , saying he believes the controversy stems from the fact that “I’ve been playing a 16-year-old since I was 16”
“You also have to remember the people I grew up with as a child. It’s like watching, I think, your little brother now, you know, they’re big …,” she added.
“So it’s hard for people to wrap up the idea that I’m raised in real life. You know, even though I’m still playing a teenager on TV, she said about her role as Rue.
Both of her roles in Rue and Marie came from writer-director Sam Levinson, who created Euphoria and wrote and directed Malcolm & Marie.
Grown: “You have to remember, too, people grew up with me as a child. It’s like watching, I think, your little brother now, you know, they’re big …,” she added.
The film was filmed during the COVID-19 blockade this summer, with only Zendaya and Washington forming the cast with a minimal crew.
“Sometimes, when you don’t see the roles you want, sometimes you have to be a part of their creation. So, I’m grateful that Sam wrote this movie for us, “Zendaya added.
She also said that the safety of the cast and crew of the film was their “number one concern”, which they achieved by creating a “bubble-like” environment.
Cast: The film was shot during the blockade of COVID-19 this summer, with only Zendaya and Washington forming the cast with a minimal crew.
Zendaya also spoke about her childhood as a “Disney child” in a new interview with Promising Young Woman star Carey Mulligan as part of the Variety Actors on Actors series.
Mulligan mentioned that she certainly “can’t think of you as a Disney kid now,” though Zendaya said that’s still part of who she is.
– The thing is, I’m. And to some extent, I’m grateful for that. This is where I started and learned so much from that experience, ‘she added.
Disney Child: Zendaya spoke about her childhood as a “Disney child” in a new interview with Carey Mulligan, the star of Promising Young Woman, in the series Actors on Actors of Variety
“It was just a slow progression and I’m happy that it was all about proving it to me and not someone else, you know? I hug him a little. It’s part of my legacy to a certain extent, “said Zendaya.
Malcolm and Marie debut on Netflix on February 5, with both Zendaya and John David Washington winning a serious Oscar buzz.
She is also set to film the second season of Euphoria at some point this year, although it is unclear when the season will begin on HBO.
Identity: Mulligan mentioned that she certainly “can’t think of you as a Disney kid now,” though Zendaya said that’s still part of who she is.