Zendaya recently reflected on her time on Dancing With the Stars more than a decade ago and revealed that she still feels a bit of bitterness over losing the competition. Despite being just 16 years old when she competed, Zendaya and her dance partner Val Chmerkovskiy had incredible chemistry and performed various dance styles, receiving perfect scores. However, they finished in second place, with Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough taking the top spot.
Speaking to W Magazine, Zendaya admitted to harboring some “animosity” about the loss, especially since she was under immense pressure at the time. “I felt that loss. I was only 16 years old, and it was highly stressful,” she recalled, acknowledging how scary it was being on live TV every week.
In retrospect, Zendaya wishes she had been more relaxed about the experience, noting that she took the competition too seriously at times. “I wish I’d enjoyed it a little bit more. But I was stressing myself out,” she said. Despite the challenges, Zendaya’s time on the show helped shape her career, though she admitted that she never really enjoyed watching Dancing With the Stars even after participating. Her grandma, however, was a big fan of the show.
Though she may not have won the title, Zendaya’s impressive dance skills and her journey on the show certainly contributed to her rise to superstardom in the years that followed.
