Zendaya Says ‘Challengers’ Adult Role Was ‘Scary’ and ‘Refreshing’: Otherwise, ‘I’m Always in a High School Somewhere’

Samantha Bergeson
·2 min read
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Zendaya knew she’d met her match with tennis romantic drama “Challengers,” the Luca Guadagnino film that ushers in Zendaya’s adult film stardom.

The 27-year-old actress, whose Emmy-winning turn in “Euphoria” and the two Tom Holland-led “Spider-Man” films all take place in high school, told Vogue that playing the character of 30-year-old mother Tashi for “Challengers” was a “refreshing” casting change and, well, a challenge.

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“I’m always in a high school somewhere. And, mind you, I never went to high school,” Zendaya said.

The former Disney Channel child star added that “Challengers” was “kind of scary, because I was like, ‘I hope people buy me as my own age, or maybe a little bit older, because I have friends that have kids, or are having kids.'”

Zendaya reflected on her years in Hollywood prior to appearing in blockbusters like “Dune” and more.

“I have complicated feelings about kids and fame and being in the public eye, or being a child actor. We’ve seen a lot of cases of it being detrimental,” Zendaya said. “And I think only now, as an adult, am I starting to go, ‘Oh, OK, wait a minute: I’ve only ever done what I’ve known, and this is all I’ve known.’ I’m almost going through my angsty teenager phase now, because I didn’t really have the time to do it before.”

She added, “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. Now, when I have these moments in my career — like, my first time leading a film that’s actually going to be in a theater [with ‘Challengers’] — I feel like I shrink, and I can’t enjoy all the things that are happening to me, because I’m like this. I’m very tense, and I think that I carry that from being a kid and never really having an opportunity to just try shit. And I wish I went to school.”

Zendaya’s breakout performance as Rue in HBO’s “Euphoria” is also getting a more grown-up take, with the upcoming Season 3 confirmed to have a time jump out of high school.

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