Zendaya Auditioned “Many Times” For ‘Descendants’ But Ended Up Not Getting the Role
These days, Zendaya is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, with major roles in Dune, Marvel’s Spider-Man films, and Euphoria. Once upon a time, however, the actress called the Disney Channel home.
In fact, Zendaya first came to national prominence when she starred as Rocky Blue in Disney’s sitcom Shake It Up. When that series ended, she starred in K.C. Undercover, another Disney Channel sitcom.
Photo: Disney +
Despite the fact that she was a Disney Channel star, there was one Disney role that the actress did not get.
Former Disney Executive Says Zendaya “Really Wanted” a ‘Descendants’ Role
In a recent interview on the Magical Rewind podcast, Cornelia Frame, former vice president of casting and talent relations at Disney Channel, revealed that Zendaya auditioned for a role in Disney’s Descendants.
Photo: Disney+
“Zendaya did audition many times for ‘Descendants,’ and that was a big deal,” Frame said. “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.”
At the time, Zendaya had already starred in two Disney Channel Original Movies — Frenemies (2012) and Zapped (2014). Still, the actress ended up not getting the Descendants role.
Photo: Disney +
Frame recalled that Zendaya “put so much effort and so much work” into her Descendants audition, but ultimately, “it’s just one of those things.”
Everything Worked Out
When Descendants debuted in 2017, it featured a Zendaya-less cast. Still, according to Frame, missing out on the film may have ended up being a blessing in disguise.
Source: Marvel Studios’ SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2019. All Rights Reserved.
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.”
Zendaya would go on to star in both Spider-Man: Homecoming and The Greatest Showman in 2017, launching the actress to stardom.
Since then, she has been one of the most in-demand actresses in Hollywood.
Descendants, meanwhile, was still a massive success for Disney, eventually launching a franchise that has produced two sequels, a spin-off, and an animated series.
Photo: Disney+
While both Zendaya and Descendants ended up being successful, imagining the actress staring in the franchise is an interesting Hollywood “what if!”
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