Zendaya: how the Challengers star went from painfully shy child to this generation's leading lady

Once upon a time, the Disney channel was something of a boot camp for future megastars. It felt like virtually every Noughties icon got their start there. Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Lindsay Lohan, Zac Efron, Shia LaBeouf, the list goes on.

But there was a good while when it felt like the Disney machine had stopped spitting out fresh A-listers. Until now, that is. Alongside the likes of Sabrina Carpenter and Keke Palmer, a new Disney queen is taking centre stage. In fact, she may just be *the* leading lady of her generation. And like Britney before her, she’s already a mononym: Zendaya.

That former Disney star is now making the big leap with her most recent release, the sexy tennis drama Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Susperia) and produced by Zendaya herself.

It’s a maturity jump many have tried before: an adult role, and what she sees as her first time leading a major film. Though Euphoria certainly featured plenty of sex, it lived firmly in the realm of hedonistic teen drama. But here, alongside the raunchier moments, her character is an actual mum, with grown-up responsibilities. A lot of Disney kids don’t stick the landing. But Zendaya has.

How? A meticulous work ethic and sense of self belief, the kind that comes from an observant, shy child who had to force themselves into confidence. Here’s how Zendaya forged herself into a formidable leading lady. 

A shy Oakland girl descendant from Black Panthers 

Born in Oakland, California, on 1 September 1996, Zendaya is a Virgo