Since landing on our screens in 2010, Zendaya has embodied an unparalleled coolness and defined the boundary between her treasured private and successful public life. We've watched the former Disney Channel star grow into a multi-award-winning Hollywood actor, singer and fashion muse, becoming one of the most influential figures in today’s entertainment industry. Her peerless class, combined with her unreserved relatability (you're as likely to find her walking around your local Waitrose as you are on a red carpet), makes her a star in every sense of the word.
When Zendaya recently called me from her home in Los Angeles, with her natural curls pulled back in a bun, make-up-free skin and wearing a cosy knitted jumper, I immediately felt like I was sitting down with an old friend. Her warmth – another key to her success – transcended through the phone across our time zones.
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'Hilariously enough, my dad was my P.E. teacher,' she laughs, as we discuss the importance of signing onto a multi-year partnership with the fast-growing Swiss sportswear brand, On. The announcement of the collaboration, shared in June during the promotional tour for her role in director Luca Guadagnino’s tennis romance Challengers, came as an unexpected but welcome surprise for those in the fashion industry. Known for her partnerships with luxury giants like Lancôme, Bulgari, and Valentino, Zendaya’s collaboration with a performancewear label felt like a side step from her usual alignments, but also, somehow, closer to who she is. 'He made P.E. really fun with games and even salsa dancing. My introduction to movement came from him.'
Zendaya grew up just outside of Oakland, California, the daughter of two school teachers who nurtured the early success of their only child. From a young age, movement was not about strict routines, but rather the joys of self-expression – a perspective that has stayed with the actor to this day. 'With the job I have and the work that I do, forcing myself to get up and get out is crucial,' she says. 'It's about finding what kind of physical activity works for you.'
For the Euphoria star, working out is less about rigorous training and more about the small, daily acts of movement that can make a meaningful difference. 'Sometimes it can be as simple as going for a really long walk with my dog,' she says. 'It’s about finding something that makes you happy, keeps you active and gets that serotonin and dopamine going.' Her latest campaign with On, set in the backdrop of the Swiss Alps, is centred around the power of movement as a path to well-being, highlighting the importance of being in nature and making new connections by way of exercise.
For someone in the public eye, movement has become a vital tool for managing Zendaya's mental health. She reveals how the pressures of fame have sometimes left her feeling trapped. 'When I was filming Challengers, I had one of those moments where I realised it was harder for me to go outside. I was getting photographed a lot, and it was overwhelming,' she shares. As a result, the fear of being photographed often led her to retreat. 'I’ve had times where I thought, "What if someone takes my picture?" and I wouldn’t leave the house. That’s just not good for me.' Family and close friends became her source of support, helping her reconnect with the outside world.
Getting dressed, putting on 'real' clothes, and stepping outside – despite the cameras – has become a way for Zendaya to reclaim her space. 'You just have to keep going,' she says. 'It’s gotten better over the past year. I’ve accepted it, been more cool about it, and still live my life without letting it worry me.'
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