Superstar Facts About Zendaya
Zendaya Coleman—known to most as “Zendaya”—is a quadruple threat: actress, singer, dancer, and even a writer. In her first two decades of life, she managed to amass credits in stage, screen, and song that most people spend a lifetime trying to build. As Zendaya spreads her wings from teeny bopper media to mainstream movies like The Greatest Showman and the Spiderman franchise, she shows no signs of slowing down into “old” age. Take a second look at these prodigious facts about Zendaya.
1. A Second Chance at Family
The girl who would be simply known as “Zendaya” was born Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman on September 1, 1996. She is her mother's only child, but has five older half-siblings on her father’s side.
2. The Best of All Worlds
Zendaya is biracial, with African-American ancestry on her father’s side and German-Scots descent from her father’s mother.
3. Just Grateful to Be Here
Her name derives from the word “Tendai,” which is the Shona (an ethnic group in Zimbabwe) name for “to give thanks.”
4. The Mother of All Opportunities
Born in Oakland, California, Zendaya had a head-start in finding a performance platform. In fact, she grew up performing at the California Shakespeare Theatre, where her mother was a house manager.
