Zendaya Says She's 'Still Harboring A Little Animosity' Over 1 Career Moment

2 days ago 4

Zendaya is just being honest — and is still a little annoyed about one early career moment.

The “Dune” star has two Emmys and a Golden Globe win under her belt, but before her leap from the Disney Channel to award-winning blockbusters, she competed on “Dancing With the Stars” — and lost.

“Listen, I’m still harboring a little animosity about that,” Zendaya told W Magazine for a cover story interview published Friday. “I felt that loss. I was only 16 years old, and it was highly stressful. Being on live television every week? It’s so scary.”

The star started acting on Disney Channel sitcoms like “Shake It Up” and “Good Luck Charlie,” but her music career landed her a successful audition for “DWTS” the following year.

Zendaya and her professional partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, went far together and received high praise from the show’s judges during the two-night finale in 2013 — but finished second behind “American Idol” alum Kellie Pickler and her partner Derek Hough.

“I took it very seriously, which, in retrospect, I wish I didn’t,” Zendaya told W. “I wish I’d enjoyed it a little bit more and just was like, ‘Eh, whatever.’ You know what I mean? But I was stressing myself out. I really went through it on that.”

Zendaya and Chmerkovskiy placed second in the two-night season finale in 2013.

She told “The Awardist” podcast in October that she hasn’t watched the show since she competed, although she admitted, “My grandma loves ‘Dancing With the Stars.’”

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The actor certainly doesn’t need to compete on live television anymore, as her acclaimed performance on HBO’s “Euphoria” led to starring roles in the “Spider-Man” and “Dune” franchises and last year’s “Challengers.”

These days, her spare time is filled with hobbies.

“For me, it’s about trying new things, as stupid as it sounds, like pottery or anything with your hands,” Zendaya told The Hollywood Reporter during this year’s “Actress Roundtable” discussion. “I can make a good scone now, you know?”

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