Zendaya opened up about the struggles she faces as an actress in a recent interview with Marie Claire.
The 21-year-old started her acting career working with Disney in 2009, but has worked on huge productions such as ‘The Greatest Showman’ and ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ since.
Speaking about racial barriers within the industry, Zendaya said, “What my white peers would be able to get away with at this point in their career is not something that I will be able to do.
“I don’t want to jeopardise it at any point because I am not allowed the room to mess up.”
The actress regularly goes to casting-calls which are specifically looking for white actresses, as she wants to have the opportunity to change casting-directors’ minds.
“I always tell my theatrical manager, ‘Anytime it says they’re looking for white girls, send me out. Let me get in the room. Maybe they’ll change their minds,” the former Disney star said.
Zendaya also explained how her acting career has allowed her to support others who don’t have the same platform that she does.
“Supporting students in Oakland is important to me…For me, I get to do my passion and what I enjoy, and that has become a forum to do much greater things. Sometimes you build your platform to step off so others can step on, and that’s honestly what motivates me,” she told Marie Claire.
For her latest project, Zendaya is teaming up with Reese Witherspoon for a new movie titled, A White Lie.
Zendaya will star in the film, which revolves around the true story of a light-skinned African-American woman named Anita Hemmings, who convinces a college admission’s board that she is Caucasian in order to attend the school.
