Zendaya has been in the public eye as an artist since her teens, which she says is why people struggle to see her in more roles for adults.
The 24-year-old won her first Emmy last year by playing the tough high school student Rue Bennett on HBO’s EBOF.
The actress shared the 12-year age gap between her and her co-star in a new interview with E! Addressed, and said she thinks the controversy is because I’ve been playing a 16 year old since I was 16.
Not a teenager: Zendaya has been in the public eye as an artist since her teens, which she says is why people struggle to see her in more adults.
Age gap: The actress addressed the age gap of 12 years between her and her co-star in a new interview with E! and said she thinks the controversy is because ‘I’ve been playing a 16-year-old since I was 16’
‘You must also remember that people grew up with me as a child. It’s like looking at your younger brother or sister now, they are adults … ‘she adds.
‘So it’s hard for people to embrace the idea that I grew up in real life. You know, even though I’m still playing a teenager on television, ‘she said of her role as Rue.
Both of her roles as Rue and Marie come from writer-director Sam Levinson, who created Euphoria and wrote and directed Malcolm & Marie.
Grown up: ‘You also have to remember that people grew up with me as a child. It’s like watching, I think, your younger brother or sister now, you know, they are adults … ‘she adds
The film was shot this summer during the COVID-19 exclusion, with only Zendaya and Washington putting together the cast with a minimal crew.
“Sometimes, when you do not see the roles you want, sometimes you have to be part of creating them. That’s why I’m grateful Sam wrote this movie for us, ‘Zendaya added.
She also said that the safety of the cast and crew of the film was their ‘biggest concern’ they achieved by creating a ‘bubble-like’ environment.
Cast: The film was shot during the COVID-19 exclusion this summer, with only Zendaya and Washington putting together the cast with a minimal team.
Zendaya also revealed her childhood as a ‘Disney kid’ in a new interview with Carey Mulligan, the star of the Promising Young Woman, as part of Variety’s Actors on Actors series.
Mulligan said she “can not think of herself as a Disney kid right now,” although Zendaya said it is still part of who she is.
“The thing is, I am. And to some extent I am grateful for that. This is where I started, and I learned so much from the experience, ‘she added.
Disney Child: Zendaya also revealed her childhood as a ‘Disney Child’ in a new interview with Carey Mulligan, the promising young woman, as part of Variety’s Actors on Actors series.
‘It was just such a slow progress, and I’m glad it had to prove it all to myself and not to anyone else, you know? I embrace it a little. It’s part of my legacy, ” Zendaya said.
Malcolm & Marie debuted on Netflix on February 5, with both Zendaya and John David Washington earning serious Oscar buzz.
She will also be filming the second season of Euphoria sometime this year, though it is unclear when that season will appear on HBO.
Identity: Mulligan mentions that she certainly ‘can not think of yourself as a Disney child’, although Zendaya said that it is still part of who she is