It didn’t reach Brendan Fraser-in-The Whale“the only frame from the movie” status, but it feels like we’ve been seeing that image of Zendaya sitting on a bed with Mike Faist on one side of her and Josh O’Connor on the other for years. That’s only a slight hyperbole: Challengers was originally scheduled for August 2023, but it was pushed back to 2024 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Thankfully, Luca Guadagnino’s sexy (and sex scene-free) tennis movie finally comes out this week, so we’ll be able to see the bed scene in context.
Speaking of that scene, Zendaya told Variety what was on her mind while taking such good care of her little white boys. “The only reason I really remember is because Beyoncé came out with ‘Break My Soul’ that day,” she said. “I was having a great day, like, ‘Y’all. Beyoncé’s single just dropped.’ That’s what I was focused on, to be honest.”
O’Connor joked, “We lost Zendaya for like a week. She was on set, normal, chatting with us. Then one day Beyoncé released something. They called ‘cut,’ and she immediately had headphones in. She was completely lost to the world.” Beyoncé: the only person who can make literally Zendaya lose her cool.
Here’s more on Challengers:
From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
Challengers opens in theaters on April 26. See it.
Regarding Euphoria returning to HBO, even Zendaya has no idea about the future of the popular Gen Z show.
Zendaya told Variety during the Los Angeles premiere of her new sports romance thriller, “Challengers,” that she has no say as to when production will ratchet up again. She’s credited as an executive producer, but it’s still not her call. She said: “I am not in charge. But, of course, if it’s right for the characters and everything turns out the way it should, of course. But it’s beyond me.”
Zendaya’s ambiguity comes just weeks after HBO officially announced that season 3 of Euphoria would be postponed. The Warner Discovery network made it clear that they are committed to shooting a new season in the future, but they were also committed to supporting the series stars’ pursuit of other opportunities while they figure things out about Euphoria.
On that note, Hollywood’s Euphoria cast is hot right now. Sydney Sweeney, who plays Cassie Howard, starred in 3 films in the past six months alone, to varied levels of success. Hunter Schafer, who plays Zendaya’s romantic interest, starred in last year’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, a box-office blockbuster. And, of course, Zendaya starred in Dune: Part 2 and has many other high-profile projects coming up; it’s safe to say Euphoria or not; Zendaya and company are doing just fine.
At just 27 years old, Zendaya is already one of the most stylish women in entertainment. This is largely thanks to the work of her stylist, Law Roach, who knows exactly how to accentuate the actresses’ best features. Her latest roles include the Spider-Man franchise opposite her beau, Tom Holland, as well as Dune and its sequel with Timothée Chalamet. Before all of that, Zendaya was only 13 when her career initially began on Disney Channel, which she spoke about candidly in a new British Vogue interview.
“It’s funny, because it’s something that I’m figuring out now. I don’t know how much of a choice I had. I have complicated feelings about kids and fame and being in the public eye, or being a child actor,” Z shared when asked what teenage her thought about the possibility of her career not flourishing in adulthood. “We’ve seen a lot of cases of it being detrimental,” she continued, seemingly referencing the likes of Amanda Bynes, Orlando Brown and countless others who got their start on Nickelodeon or Disney.
Zendaya went on, “I’m almost going through my angsty teenager phase now because I didn’t really have the time to do it before. I felt like I was thrust into a very adult position: I was becoming the breadwinner of my family very early, and there was a lot of role-reversal happening, and just kind of becoming grown, really.”
Many of our favourite former child stars are speaking out amid the situation with Nickelodeon, leaving us to wonder who else has yet to tell their harrowing stories of abuse. Thankfully Zendaya’s negative feelings mostly came from within her own family dynamic, but the same isn’t true for victims like Drake Bell. Review the allegations brought forth against Dan Schneider and his colleagues at the link below, and check back later for more music/pop culture news updates.
Here’s the drop, if you didn’t know: Spider-Man and Dune actress Zendaya is playing a tennis star in Luca Guadagnino’s new film Challengers, and there’s plenty of drama to explore in the new trailer.
The choice of music in the trailer is interesting, with Nelly Furtado’s Maneater controlling the pace. Before we explore the official description, Shadow and Act reported that Zendaya plays a former tennis star and champion who had to leave the game due to an injury – and that happens in real life like any other sport. Now get this, she moves on to coaching, but her new clients aren’t just after her tennis experience and want more than they bargained for. Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist are also starring, but here’s the synopsis:
From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (O’Connro) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
Justin Kuritzkes pen the film. Guadagnino, Zendaya, Amy Pascal, and Rachel O’Connor are producing. Bernard Bellew, Lorenzo Mieli, and Kevin Ulrich serve as executive producers. The music outside of that Nelly Furtado trailer score is from the iconic Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross.
Before rap, Kodak Black wanted to appear on television. The rapper recently caught up with HipHopDX at One Music Festival where he shed some light on his aspirations to dive into the world of television. If you recall, a video went viral of a young Kodak declaring that he was on his way to an audition for a Nickelodeon show. However, Yak revealed that he didn’t actually audition for Nickelodeon but instead, Disney for the sake of meeting Zendaya. “I never did [audition for Nick],” he revealed. “I wanted to audition for Shake It Up so I could push up on Zendaya.”
Evidently, things worked out for Kodak Black in the long-run. However, the video shed new light on Kodak’s childhood. Although it’s unclear when the video was shot, Yak’s looking babyfaced as ever. “Yeah, auditioning with Nickelodeon ’cause you know a new show coming out, feel me,” Kodak Black said. “Just, just stay tuned. I’m gon’ be on there. I know how to act.” Clearly, the universe had other plans for him but he doesn’t seem to have gotten his proper opportunity to delve into Hollywood.
Outside of his acting aspirations, Kodak Black found himself in hot water this weekend following his appearance on Drink Champs. The rapper caught heat from 21 Savage following his comments on the podcast after accusing the ATL rapper of “switching up” on him. Savage fired back, claiming that Yak continues to drag out whatever tension is between them with public comments. He also suggested that Kodak sounded jealous of his success.
Additionally, Kodak Black has been going back and forth with Ray J, who expressed concern over the interview. Ray J recalled bringing the Florida rapper to Mar-A-Lago to meet Trump. However, he felt as though Kodak “did the most” during the trip. While Ray J hoped someone would give him help, Kodak Black responded that he’d “beat your little *ss.” However, Ray J then proposed that the two actually duke it out in the streets.
Kai Cenat brought a special guest onto a recent stream – a lookalike of actress Zendaya. His audience went wild as the woman looked very much like the Marvel star. Furthermore, Cenat had a little fun with the woman, dressing up in a Spiderman costume and re-enacting some movie scenes and a few viral moments that Zendaya has been involved in.
While the woman was very convincing, some people online made an interesting point. “She look like rue lmao not zendaya if that makes sense,” one person wrote on Instagram in what was a fairly common sentiment. The perspective refers to the notion that woman is embodying Zendaya’s Euphoria character as opposed to the actress herself.
Elsewhere, Cenat was shocked to learn that he had picked up another high-profile block. Cenat learned on stream that GloRilla had blocked him on social media following his especially harsh critique of her latest single, “Cha Cha Cha”. While the song has earned a fairly mixed reaction, Cenat was especially harsh. He claimed to have felt betrayed by the release and proceeded to extensively trash the song and its music video. Honestly, it’s unsurprising that GloRilla blocked him given how hard he went in on her new track.
However, it is just the second musical star to block Cenat in the last few months. In a previous stream, Cenat learned that SZA had blocked him. However, this one wasn’t over a musical critique. Instead, the singer appeared to have blocked the streamer after he tried to shoot his shot in her DMs. Cenat appeared to be pretty heartbroken by that one, having previously expressed a crush on SZA and lamenting that he had been working to get her on stream. It just seems as though Cenat, despite his popularity, has a hard time staying on the good side of the people he looks up to.
Zendaya is laps ahead of most other 27-year-olds in terms of her career growth, but still, that doesn’t mean the Euphoria actress won’t celebrate her birthday with a customary thirst trap. Like many women love to do, she took to Instagram over the weekend to show off not only her iconic sense of style but also her slim, elegant figure in a micro-bra covered in diamonds. Though certainly scandalous on its own, Zendaya (likely with the help of stylist Law Roach) turned the NSFW look into one of pure elegance, with the starlet’s chest and midsection showing between a long skirt and a tie-front top designed by Collina Strada that left her front almost fully exposed.
The only caption the Spider-Man actress provided was the Virgo emoji, but we already knew the posts were to commemorate her birthday after seeing Tom Holland’s tribute to his co-star and girlfriend. Speaking of the British actor, he was unsurprisingly the first person to show love to Zendaya under her stunning snapshots. Considering she has 184M followers, this is a pretty impressive feat. “First,” Holland proudly wrote, bragging to the world about his relentless dedication to the former Disney actress.
On her actual birthday, Zendaya put up a smiley childhood photo with a caption reflecting on recent lessons. “Every year I grow I’m reminded of how precious this life is, thank you all for helping me fill it up with so much love,” the Oakland native wrote.
“Your kind words and constant support mean everything to me. Thank you so so much and here’s to 27,” Z concluded. In the comments, friends like Lori Harvey, Bella Thorne, and Alexa Demie all dropped by to send their greetings, not to mention the thousands of fans.
Is Zendaya’s Virgo season outfit her boldest fashion statement to date? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more music/pop culture news updates.
In Hollywood, the future of child actors can be a very slippery slope. While some manage to emerge unscathed and free of the toxicities of the industry, others are not so lucky. Many factors can lead child actors to a downward spiral. Most of these are the pressures that come with fame at an early age.
Regardless, there have been child actors have become Hollywood royalty over the years. Whether they rose from the ashes of controversies or simply maintained their privacy, they are shining stars nonetheless. These former child actors have gone on to achieve success in Hollywood. Furthermore, they offer a wide range of interesting talents, benefiting multiple industries.
Tyler James Williams
Tyler James Williams started his career at just 4 years old, and just a few years later, he landed a recurring role on Saturday Night Live in 1999. By 2000, he appeared in 10 episodes of Sesame Street. Throughout his childhood, he continued to star in notable releases. However, he achieved great fame as Chris in the autobiographical sitcom Everybody Hates Chris. Williams has continued to enjoy a stellar acting career since. These days, he’s earning even more critical acclaim and recognition as Gregory Eddie in Abbot Elementary. This role gave him his first Golden Globe Award and an Emmy nomination.
Raven-Symoné
Raven-Symoné is one of the most recognized former child actors of all time. She began her career as a toddler, becoming a child model under Ford Models. Raven has had several high moments in her career since she was three. She joined The Cosby Show in its sixth season, staying until the series ended. After the show’s conclusion, she earned a space in Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper. At 15, Raven became tween and teen royalty after scoring the lead role in Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven. Her contributions to film and television are incredible. Nowadays, the actress, singer, and director reprises her role as Raven in Raven’s Home.
Brandy’s career was a success straight out of the gate. Before scoring a timeless, multi-platinum debut album, she ventured into acting. She starred in the sitcom Thea prior to her lead role in Moesha, solidifying her name in many Black American households. Brandy has been a star for much of her three-decade-long career. Whether acting or singing, she has continued to earn praise for her work. In 2022, Brandy signed with Motown Records before releasing her highly anticipated eighth studio album.
Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer is one of the most prolific former child actors ever. Since her breakthrough in the mid-2000s, she has been an unstoppable force. Palmer’s ventures today include a thriving acting career, a music career, a successful podcast, and more. She has earned significant critical acclaim over the years. Her performance in Akeelah and the Bee is often noted as one of the best acting showcases by a child actor. Today, the Emmy winner is now a mom, she still continues to gain a slew of fans with each endeavor. While she’s first and foremost an actress, Keke “Keep A Bag” Palmer has her foot in many baskets!
Yara Shahidi
Yara Shahidi was just nine years old when she starred alongside Eddie Murphy in Imagine That. After a series of guest roles, she received her most notable part as a member of the award-winning sitcom Black-ish. Shahidi has reprised her role as Zoey in Grown-ish since 2018. Like many other child actors, she started as a model, starring in numerous commercials. Besides the small screen, Shahidi has gained prominence for her political awareness and activism. She is also a Harvard graduate, studying Social Studies and African American Studies.
Zendaya
Zendaya kicked off her acting career on Disney Channel’s Shake It Up. There, she showed off her multiple talents. She has gone on to become one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. Not only is she a successful actor, but she’s also a singer, performer, and rising fashion icon. Zendaya is set to star in the upcoming movie Challengers, which has garnered significant buzz. She is also heralded as one of few child actors to steer clear of controversy, often keeping her personal life private. Above all, Zendaya is one of the most prolific stars in Hollywood today.
Marsai Martin
In 2019, Marsai Martin became the youngest executive producer when she was 14. She starred alongside Issa Rae and Regina Hall in the fantasy-comedy Little. Martin’s career, like that of many child actors, began as a model. By 2014, she rose to prominence as the smart-mouthed and witty daughter Diane in the sitcom Black-ish. Her performance garnered widespread acclaim, quickly cementing her as a talent to watch. She further earned several NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance. Martin is currently executive producing the comedy series Saturdays, which airs on Disney Channel.
The Virgo star sign is allocated to those born between August 23 and September 22. Virgos have gained a reputation for their ability to remain grounded and humble. Even though they are widely recognized as perfectionists, their human touch is evident. Many popular singers today are Virgos, and perfectionism is noted in their work. They are very successful, an attribute resulting from their incredible hard work and dedication.
Notable Virgo singers are also known for their ability to keep their private lives separate from their public personas. This also grants them an allure that keeps them on fans’ lips. Sharp, witty, and kind, here are some amazing Virgo R&B singers deserving of their success.
Justine Skye (August 24)
Justine Skye made a successful leap from Tumblr to the music industry. The popular singer has made a name for herself with her sultry R&B and dance songs. She has released two albums till date, and two compilation albums. In addition to this, she has four EPs so far. Besides her work as a lead singer, Justine Skye has been featured on tracks by TheGoodPerry, Schoolboy Q, and Far East Movement. She has also gained a lot of fame and followers on social media, particularly Instagram. Skye is a rising talent, and joins other notable Virgo singers.
Keke Palmer (August 26)
Keke “Keep a Bag” Palmer is mostly known as one of the strongest actors of her generation. However, she also joins the list of talented Virgo singers. Palmer has been active in the music industry since her early days as a child star. These days, she’s risen to become a bonafide musician in her own right. Focusing solely on R&B, she’s shared two albums so far. Her debut solo album, So Uncool, arrived in 2007. Her second album, Big Boss, was released in 2023.
Michael Jackson (August 29)
The King of Pop also is one of the most popular singers with the Virgo star sign. Even though he passed away in 2009, he remains a cultural force several years later. Michael Jackson’s legendary discography has served to shape modern music. Additionally, he has become a benchmark for many other singers, Virgo or not, to aspire to. Michael Jackson remains one of one with his many timeless hits and iconic dance moves. Each year, fans continue to shower praises on the late-great star.
Zendaya (September 1)
While she’s found a much more comfortable life with her acting, Zendaya remains a multi-talented threat. In her early days on Disney Channel, she released her own music. Her R&B single, “Replay,” has remained on several playlists over the years. Further, Zendaya’s catalog is also stacked with numerous accolades. Regardless of her Emmy wins and profound acting chops, she’s still known to many as a singer. Due to this, she comfortably earns her spot as one of the most famous Virgo singers. Like many others in her Sun Sign, she is incredibly hard-working, maintaining her integrity and humility despite her overwhelming success.
Beyoncé (September 4)
The Queen Bey has never been shy about her Virgo aura. With her most recent album, Renaissance, she reiterated her love for her star sign. The song “Virgo’s Groove” has become an unofficial anthem for Virgos everywhere. Beyoncé was born on September 4 and embodies many qualities of a Virgo. She is very hard-working and remains humble above all. As her Renaissance World Tour comes to a close, Beyoncé has instructed her fans to don silver ensembles in the wake of Virgo season. This further shows how much she takes the sign seriously. It’s no surprise she’s one of the singers most attributed to Virgo season.
Jennifer Hudson (September 12)
Jennifer Hudson is one of the most awarded Virgo singers of all time. She is also one of very few talents to snag the coveted EGOT in a short amount of time. Hudson famously earned an Oscar for her chilling, fantastic role as Effie in Dreamgirls. Since then, she’s become one of the most notable Virgos around. Additionally, Hudson has ventured into numerous entertainment endeavors, succeeding in whatever she’s taken on. Her star has been shining since she debuted on American Idol, quickly stealing the public’s affection. Although she didn’t win, she carved out a career worth the envy of many others who have participated in the competition.
Jason Derulo’s musical career is always worth celebrating. Bursting onto the scene in 2009, he was already a bonafide hitmaker long before. Derulo began as a songwriter for other artists. Eventually, he chased down a solo career and achieved success with his debut single, “Whatcha Say.” Since then, he’s garnered over 250 million single sales and a strong fan base. Derulo has collaborated with artists from all over the world, making him one of the most successful Virgo singers around. He has also ventured into social media, becoming one of the most followed TikTok stars in the world. With numerous hits under his belt, there’s no denying Jason Derulo’s incredible star power.
Zendaya says that she wishes she could keep her relationship with Tom Holland private, but accepts that it is not feasible. She discussed the role fame plays in her life as well as her relationship with her Spider-Man co-star during a new cover story for Elle.
“Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public,” the 26-year-old said. “I can’t not be a person and live my life and love the person I love. But also, I do have control over what I choose to share. It’s about protecting the peace and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist. You can’t hide. That’s not fun, either. I am navigating it more than ever now.”
Zendaya & Tom Holland Attend “Spider-Man: Far From Home” Premiere
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 26: Tom Holland (L) and Zendays pose at the after party for the premiere of Sony Pictures’ “Spider-Man: Far From Home” on June 26, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Zendaya also discussed how her life has changed since becoming famous. She noted that things became quite different after season 2 of HBO’s Euphoria as well as Spider-Man: No Way Home. “Before, I could get away with going places and getting in and out. But in Boston, I would end up going right back home because it was really overstimulating,” she said. “Everybody would go hang out at a bar or something, and I’d be like, ‘I’d love to, but I think I could ruin everybody’s night. Because it’s just not going to be fun once I’m there.’”
As for Holland’s opinion on their celebrity, he recently discussed dealing with fame during an interview with GQ. “I’ve always been really adamant to keep my private life private, because I share so much of my life with the world anyway,” he said while adding that he and the actress “sort of felt robbed of our privacy” when the pics of them kissing surfaced. Elsewhere in her Elle interview, Zendaya discussed working with Law Roach, her upcoming film, Challengers, and more. The interview was conducted prior to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
,” Z concluded. In the comments, friends like Lori Harvey, Bella Thorne, and Alexa Demie all dropped by to send their greetings, not to mention the thousands of fans.