Zendaya Almost Starred in a Surprising Disney Franchise Instead of Spider-Man
Zendaya auditioned "many times" for a role in Descendants.
Zendaya may be the star of two major franchises, playing M.J. in the Spider-Man trilogy and Chani in the Dune films, but there is another fan-favorite film series that she was almost a part of, possibly instead of Spider-Man. According to former Disney Channel executive Cornelia Frame, Zendaya auditioned "many times" for an undisclosed role in Descendants. Zendaya had previously been a star in Disney Channel series Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover as well as had starred in two Disney Channel movies, Frenemies and Zapped.
"Zendaya did audition many times for Descendants and that was a big deal," Frame told the Magical Rewind podcast (via Variety). "I mean, a really big deal that she auditioned over and over. She really wanted it and it just ended up not going her way."
Frame also said that Zendaya "put so much effort and so much work" into her auditions but that ultimately id didn't work out — though she also questioned if things worked out the way they did for a reason.
"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.
While Zendaya did not get a role in Descendants, the original three Descendants ended up being very popular. The films starred Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart, and Cameron Boyce among others with the original released in 2015 followed by sequels in 2017 and 2019. The film series also spawned three television series, Descendants: School of Secrets, Descendants: Wicked World, and the animated short prequel The Planning of the Royal Wedding, three short films, two television specials, multiple novels, and another sequel film, Descendants: The Rise of Red which was released earlier this year.
Zendaya Will Return for Euphoria Season 3
In addition to roles in major blockbusters, Zendaya is also one of the stars of HBO's Euphoria. It was recently announced that the series is set to return to production in January and that the series' stars — including Zendaya — are expected to return.
"I am thrilled that we are ready to begin production on Euphoria in January," Francesca Orsi, EVP of HBO programming and head of HBO drama series and films, told Deadline in a statement. "We could not be happier with our creative partnership with Sam and this incredible cast. We look forward to bringing this new season of Euphoria to life for the fans."
