Since beginning her career as a young teen star on Disney Channel’s Shake It Up, Zendaya has turned herself into a successful brand, complete with a platinum selling album and an advice book for teens. Now, in an interview with Yahoo Style, she makes it clear she’s still not satisfied. In addition to talking about her aspirations to work with Drake, the young starlet dishes on her feelings about race in America.
Most recently, Zendaya found herself on the receiving end of heavy backlash after being cast as Aaliyah in the now infamous Lifetime biopic. Although she backed out of the role, the criticism of her not being “black enough” for the role was especially frustrating:
“It doesn’t make sense. Here’s how I put it: The first African-American President of the United States is half-black. So is he not the first black president? Is he just the first half-black President? Do we take that credit away from him? No. Whoever is supposed to play Aaliyah- whether they are half-asian or whatever- it’s not about that. It’s about doing that with respect and integrity.”
Zendaya also touched on the controversy recently felt by a fellow Disney star, and friend, Raven Symone, after the That’s So Raven star stated she did not want to be labeled as African-American.
“She’s grown. She can say whatever she wants. Everyone has an opinion. Opinions are like buttholes. Everyone has one and everyone thinks everyone else’s stinks.”
Although she says she wishes to stay a part of the Disney family, Zendaya is currently working on her sophomore album, hoping to collaborate with Drake (“He has to know I’m obsessed with him”) and looking to shake things up in a big way in the new year.
“2015 is about showing my work, showing the things I can do, and continuing to have fun in the process.”
Looks like it’ll be all Zendaya in 2015, and we’re not complaining.
PHOTO CREDIT: Yahoo Style
