Zendaya on breaking out of Disney framework: I felt stagnant but now I am being seen as a real actress

Actress and singer Zendaya revealed the struggles she has faced as a black actor in the entertainment industry and stepping out of her Disney star persona in an interview with Marie Claire magazine for its September issue. The young actress started her career with the 2010 show Shake It Up to KC Undercover and eventually went on to star in Hollywood films like The Greatest Showman and Spider-Man: Homecoming. [caption id=“attachment_4913441” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Zendaya. Twitter @SniktAndThwip[/caption] Zendaya shared that instead of waiting for opportunities, she carved her own way even when people did not want to give her a chance on the basis of her race. “There was a lot of not getting the audition that I wanted and often going out for parts that weren’t written for a girl who looks like me and just saying, ‘Hey, see me anyway,’ until the right thing stuck,” she told Marie Claire. “Having been consistently on a television show, I felt stagnant. Not having that anymore, I am being seen as a real actress, doing what makes me feel pushed and motivated.” Unlike her Disney peers, the actress — who turns 22 in September — has not had a rebellious phase or a public meltdown. She realises that she is a role model for the youth but felt that she could not allow herself to be scared of not always doing the right thing.  “I will make mistakes in my career, but I can try my best to make the best decisions that I can and learn from my mistakes.” Zendaya will be seen in an upcoming project White Lie, produced by Reese Witherspoon, which is about Anita Hemmings, the first African-American woman to graduate from Vassar College. Read the full interview here.