The entertainment world is still stirring over the chilling Quiet on the Set documentary. The film uncovers a history of sexual abuse and inappropriate behavior towards Nickelodeon child stars. Hollywood actress Zendaya is no stranger to child stardom. She has appeared on several hit Disney Channel productions such as Shake it Up and K.C. Undercover.
During a recent interview, Zendaya was asked what other options she had growing up. The actress is still unsure.
“Hmm. It’s funny because it’s something that I’m figuring out now,” she said.
“I don’t know how much of a choice I had. I have complicated feelings about kids and fame and being in the public eye, or being a child actor. We’ve seen a lot of cases of it being detrimental. And I think only now, as an adult, am I starting to go, Oh, okay, wait a minute: I’ve only ever done what I’ve known, and this is all I’ve known.”
Zendaya Details Struggles of Child Stardom
Being a child star is very demanding. There are long hours and short amounts of rest. The kids are asked to carry on the weight of a professional while still trying to grow up. Even though Zendaya is no longer an adolescent, she says at times she feels like she is still growing up.
“I’m almost going through my angsty teenager phase now because I didn’t have the time to do it before,” she said. “I felt like I was thrust into a very adult position: I was becoming the breadwinner of my family very early, and there was a lot of role-reversal happening and just kind of becoming grown.”
She also added that the demand for perfection as a child star has impacted her confidence as a more seasoned actress.
“Now, when I have these moments in my career—like, my first time leading a film that’s going to be in a theater—I feel like I shrink, and I can’t enjoy all the things that are happening to me, because I’m like this,” she added.
“I’m very tense, and I think that I carry that from being a kid and never really having an opportunity to just try s—. And I wish I went to school.”