Zendaya has grown to be the multi-talented actress we know and love. From her breakout role in Disney Channel’s ‘K.C. Undercover‘ to her powerful performances in ‘Euphoria,’ Zendaya has shown she’s a force to be reckoned with.
But what if we told you there was a Disney role that slipped through her fingers? Yes, even the stars face their share of rejections. While many of us adored her in ‘K.C. Undercover,’ there was another Disney project she desperately wanted to be a part of, and tried her best to get into, but couldn’t. Here’s all you need to know about Zendaya’s missed opportunity.
Zendaya’s “Big Deal” Auditions For ‘Descendants’
Former Vice President of Casting and Talent Relations at Disney Channel, Cornelia Frame, recently spilled the tea on Zendaya’s multiple auditions for ‘Descendants‘, the musical fantasy series, which aired in 2015. Its narrative revolved around the teenage children of Disney’s most infamous villains.
In an interview on the ‘Magical Rewind‘ podcast, Frame opened up about how Zendaya tried very hard to land the role. “Zendaya did audition many times for ‘Descendants,’ and that was a big deal. It was a really big deal. She auditioned over and over and really wanted it. It just ended up not going her way,” she said.
While it’s hard to picture anyone but Dove Cameron leading the ‘Descendants‘ pack, knowing Zendaya’s commitment makes us wonder what the show could have been. “Now that I think about it, I’m like, ‘Would Spider-Man have happened right at that same time?’ Things happen for a reason, and you do often book this other thing that’s amazing when you don’t get something else,” Frame added.
Frame reflected, “[She] put so much effort and so much work into it, too. It’s just one of those things.” So, while Zendaya didn’t land a role in ‘Descendants,’ her perseverance and dedication were undeniable.
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The Path Zendaya Took Instead
When ‘Descendants‘ released on July 2015, Zendaya was already dazzling on ‘K.C. Undercover.’ It was a busy year for her, balancing spy antics and high school drama on the show. ‘Descendants,’ on the other hand, took off like a rocket, spawning sequels in 2017 and 2019, and a spinoff, ‘Descendants: The Rise of Red,’ on Disney+ released on July 12, 2024.
Despite missing out on ‘Descendants,’ Zendaya’s career didn’t suffer. She moved on to even bigger projects. In 2017, her role in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming,’ led to more appearances in the MCU like, ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home‘ and ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ And let’s not forget her standout performances in ‘Dune‘ and the upcoming film ‘Challengers.’
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