Zendaya remains one of Hollywood’s most sought-after stars, but fame hasn’t shielded her from online negativity. Recently, trolls targeted her parents in a family photo, prompting the actress to respond with grace and strength.
Born in Oakland, California, Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman began as a child model and backup dancer before rising to fame as Rocky Blue on the Disney Channel’s Shake It Up. Now 28, she’s at the top of her career, starring in major upcoming projects like The Odyssey, Dune: Part Three, and The Drama. Her films as a lead actress have collectively grossed over $3.9 billion worldwide. Alongside acting, she’s also built successful careers in music and modeling, even being recognized among the world’s most beautiful women based on a Golden Ratio study.
Despite her success, she has faced harsh criticism online. In 2015, Zendaya shared a selfie with her parents, Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman. Her father is African American with Nigerian roots, and her mother is of German and Scottish ancestry. Both are former public school teachers, and Zendaya often credits them for keeping her grounded. She once told Ellen DeGeneres, “I’m really lucky to have the parents that I have. They’ve always instilled in me the core values I carry with me.”
When trolls commented negatively on her parents’ appearance—one even saying, “Her parents really ugly I really would cry”—Zendaya didn’t stay silent. She responded powerfully:
“First, I’m gonna pray for you. While you’re so concerned about what my parents look like, please know that these are two of the most selfless people in the world.”
She went on to defend their life’s work, noting, “They’ve chosen to spend their lives not worrying about trivial things like looks or insulting people’s parents on Twitter, but instead became educators dedicated to teaching, cultivating, and shaping young minds.”
Encouraging empathy and self-reflection, she added, “So please, log out, go to school, hug a teacher, read a textbook… and look in the mirror and know that you too are beautiful, because such hateful words only come from internal struggles. Bless you.” She signed off on behalf of herself and her “beautiful family.”
Zendaya has a history of addressing criticism with poise. In 2020, she clarified that stepping away from a planned biopic about Aaliyah had nothing to do with online backlash, asserting that the decision was personal and not influenced by critics.
