Zendaya Opens Up About the Challenges of Fame

Zendaya, known for her standout appearances on red carpets with the help of her longtime stylist Law Roach, reveals that her dramatic fashion choices serve a more profound purpose beyond aesthetics — they aid her in managing the challenges that come with rising fame. This is prepared by SSP.

During a moderated talk for Dune: Part Two with journalist Erik Davis, Zendaya shared her complex feelings about celebrity status, describing fashion as a kind of "armor" that helps her cope with the limelight. "I feel like, often, I am not cut out for [the fame] part of [my work]. I do love my job; I’m so grateful... but I am terrified of that part of it," she admitted. Growing up as a shy child made the spotlight feel unnatural, prompting her to use fashion as a protective shield to face public appearances.

Zendaya also explained her struggle to balance her public life with her private identity. Talking about filming Challengers in spring 2022, she noted a significant shift in the level of attention she received following her roles in the latest Spider-Man movie and Euphoria. The heightened attention in cities like Boston sometimes forced her to retreat home to avoid disrupting social gatherings. "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,’" she described.

Further discussing her personal boundaries, Zendaya emphasized the importance of maintaining a degree of privacy despite her public profession. "Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public... but 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," she said. Reflecting on her relationship with Tom Holland, she stressed that while some aspects of her life will inevitably be public, she remains protective of her private moments.

Zendaya's reflections underscore the delicate balance public figures must maintain between their glamorous public personas and their private lives, showing that even with fame, the struggle to remain authentic and at peace is very real.