Hollywood’s queen Zendaya hits 29 today, almost three decades of life and a career that just keeps leveling up. Famous for her raw performance in Euphoria and deadpan jokes in the Spider-Man flicks, she’s now a major player in showbiz. Everyone knows her as a fashion crush and ace actress, but there’s more to her than what the spotlight shows. From childhood memories and hidden talents to family roots, Zendaya’s story has many surprises that most people don’t know. Here are five of those cool tidbits!
1. Zendaya’s Early Steps As A Backup Dancer
Before Disney Channel roles made her famous, Zendaya danced in a Sears commercial alongside Selena Gomez. Ross Lynch and Leo Howard, who also became Disney stars, were part of the same project. “That’s a funny commercial because it’s so weird to think [about] later on,” she told J-14 in 2013. “Ross [Lynch] was in it, Leo Howard was in it — and we were backup dancers, we weren’t even the lead kids … it’s funny where things evolved from and it’s cool to start small.”
Little Zendaya being a backup dancer for a Selena Gomez Sears commercial in 2009 omg pic.twitter.com/9JcXJOJHXb
She later took her dancing chops to Dancing with the Stars in 2013, partnered with Val Chmerkovskiy. At 16, Zendaya became one of the youngest contestants and finished as runner-up. Trained in ballet, jazz, and hip-hop, Daya earned acclaim from both judges and audiences.
2. If Not An Actor, Zendaya Would Have Been A Teacher
Zendaya’s parents influenced her love for learning. Her mother, Claire Stoermer, is a celebrated teacher in Oakland, California, known for bringing Shakespeare and arts programs to students. Her father, Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, worked as a PE teacher. Growing up around education, Zendaya developed respect for academics and discipline.
zendaya saying she’d be an elementary school teacher if she wasn’t an actress… quinta hellooo what are you waiting for to put her in an episode of abbott elementary pic.twitter.com/yaIyPy2qAc
“If I wasn’t in entertainment, I’d be a teacher in a heartbeat — guaranteed!” she told Teen Vogue in 2016. She also told Us Weekly, “I always had to take school very seriously” and recalled struggling with spelling in second grade. This way, education remains a core part of her identity.
3. Zendaya Has Four Words In Her Real Name
Zendaya’s full name, Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, is layered with meaning. Zendaya (pronounced “zen-DAY-uh”) comes from the Shona word tendai, meaning “to give thanks.” Her middle name, Maree, derives from her mother’s French middle name Marie, but with African-inspired spelling. Her surname combines both parents’ family names. “I literally have a timeline in history in my name,” the performer said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2015. Despite the depth of her full name, she chose a mononym for her career. “I just thought it was cool, like Cher or Prince,” she told Allure in 2016.
"I dropped my last name because I just thought it was cool, like Cher or Prince."
4. Zendaya’s Shyness Led Her To Repeat Kindergarten Twice
Zendaya, now everyone’s favorite sparkle on screen and socials, wasn’t always the chatterbox we see today. Back in the day, the former Disney star was super quiet. Her mom, Claire Stoermer, spilled to Vogue in 2017, “[When she was younger,] she would sit in the circle with the other kids and be totally silent.”
Turns out, little Zendaya struggled to keep pace with her classmates, so she ended up repeating kindergarten. “I did kindergarten twice because I was too shy,” Zendaya admitted on Jimmy Kimmel Live during a Dune: Part Two press visit. “Whenever I didn’t understand something in class, I wouldn’t raise my hand and say ‘Hey, I need help,’ and they would just move on. I couldn’t keep up, so I did it twice!”
Her early shyness didn’t vanish overnight, but acting became her secret weapon. Now, she’s effortlessly charming everywhere, a far cry from the silent little girl she once was.
Zendaya has a rare dental quirk: she was born with one less tooth on the bottom row. “I went to the dentist and I found out I was born with one less tooth on the bottom row,” she told Variety in 2017. This spared her from removing her wisdom teeth later, a small but notable advantage.
Her teeth are also unusually resistant to cold. She demonstrated this in 2018 during Vanity Fair’s “Secret Talent Theatre,” biting into ice cream without flinching. A fan of coffee-flavored Häagen-Dazs, Zendaya enjoys treats in ways most of us can’t.
if you need a lil laugh in your life, here’s zendaya after getting her wisdom teeth taken out. you’re welcome pic.twitter.com/LrOIPZjgDN
