How Zendaya Broke Free from Her Disney Role and Rebuilt Her Hollywood Career

How Zendaya Broke Free from Her Disney Role and Rebuilt Her Hollywood Career

Zendaya’s career took to new heights after she starred in the critically acclaimed television show, Euphoria, but her career can be traced back to her childhood when she was a young Disney star.

Love this pic of Zendaya!

A post shared by Shake It Up Fan Page (@shake_it_up_fans) on Jul 14, 2012 at 12:59pm PDT

Like most child stars, Zendaya also used Disney as a launchpad for her singing and acting career, and she’s one of the few in the industry who’ve managed to stay on the rails despite being exposed to fame at such a young age.

The  Euphoria   actress says that the industry can be brutal for young actors who are often taken advantage of. But she learned to recognize her talent at a very early age and never sold herself short.

The 23-year-old star recently appeared on one of the episodes of ‘Actors on Actors’ where she revealed the struggles she faced on her road to stardom. Like most child actors, Zendaya found it hard to break free from her Disney persona at first, and create an acting career based solely on her talent.

here we go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A post shared by euphoria (@euphoria) on Mar 11, 2020 at 9:07am PDT

In 2010, Zendaya found her breakthrough role on Disney in Shake It Up , with Bella Thone, and later starred in another Dinsey production, K.C. Undercover, until 2018 when she turned 17. After five years with the channel, she decided that she wanted something more.

She knew what she was capable of, and she didn’t want to sell herself short when signing any new projects. This strong sense of self-worth is what helped her carve a name for herself in the industry.

Even during her time with Disney, Zendaya didn’t just limit herself to acting. In fact, she was credited as one of the producers on K.C. Undercover and plans to use this experience working behind the cameras to amplify voices that aren’t hers.

A post shared by Zendaya (@zendaya) on Sep 23, 2019 at 10:52am PDT

Working as a producer also helped Zendaya to be taken seriously by her peers. She used her newfound role to present ideas that were her own and have a strong, assertive presence on the show.

Like most of us, Zendaya says that she’s her own worst critic which is why she has been on a quest to prove herself ever since leaving Disney. She has faced many obstacles along the way, like coming from a Disney background and being a woman of color in a predominantly white industry. But with her role in Euphoria, she’s one step closer to getting to her goal.

You May Also Like

Why Dinner Parties Are Making a Comeback in 2026 How-To

Why Dinner Parties Are Making a Comeback in 2026

Dinner parties are finding their way back into American homes, and the shift goes beyond food. Across the country, people are looking for meaningful social connections after years of growing isolation. What was once considered an old-fashioned way to entertain has become a simple solution to a modern problem: loneliness. As concerns about social disconnection […]

Helen Hayward July 5, 2026
Read More →
How to Reuse Frying Oil Safely Without Affecting Taste How-To

How to Reuse Frying Oil Safely Without Affecting Taste

Deep-frying at home often gets labeled as messy, wasteful, and hard to manage. The thought of lingering smells, oily surfaces, and leftover oil can feel like more trouble than it’s worth. Yet, perfectly crisp onion rings or golden chicken cutlets still hold their appeal. Freshly fried food delivers a texture and taste that’s hard to […]

Helen Hayward May 10, 2026
Read More →
How to Maintain a Healthy Diet While on Stroke Medications How-To

How to Maintain a Healthy Diet While on Stroke Medications

Maintaining a nutritious diet can be challenging when taking medications like warfarin, especially for individuals managing long-term health conditions. Warfarin, commonly prescribed for preventing blood clots after a stroke, works by interfering with vitamin K, a nutrient abundant in many vegetables and greens. This interaction can make it tricky to enjoy foods like broccoli, spinach, […]

Helen Hayward April 12, 2026
Read More →