Zendaya Is Recognized as an Innovator Under 'TIME's 100 Most Influential People of 2022 List

Zendaya's influence is finally being recognized on a larger scale. The actor-slash-singer is one of the 100 celebrities to make TIME's 100 Most Influential People of 2022 list. She's also one of five celebrities to get her own TIME cover for this special issue. Mary J. Blige, Simu Liu, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley and chief executive officer of Apple Tim Cook are the other four influential people with their own covers.

There are four categories for the prestigious list: Artists, Titans, Pioneers and Innovators, which is where Zendaya is classified under. Dennis Villeneuve wrote a a few paragraphs about Zendaya's overall impact.

“To me, Zendaya is a thousand years old. She has already lived many lives before this one. And yet, she is as young as springtime,” the director wrote. "By some inextricable paradox, she also gives the impression of having been born sometime far into the future. She is timeless, and she can do it all."

Villeneuve added, "She is an autonomous creative force herself. A cultural icon in the making. A person driven by pure inspiration, empathy, and respect for her craft, who uses authenticity as a new superpower. She seems fearless, her roots run deep, and I love that she still laughs like a kid. Zendaya is the future. And there is nothing more comforting to me. This is only the beginning."

Other celebrities who made this year's TIME's 100 Most Influential People list are Pete Davidson, Issa Rae, Zoë Kravitz, Kris Jenner and more.

Read the full list here, and check out Zendaya's cover below.