What are the best Zendaya movie and TV performances?

From her Emmy-winning portrayal of Rue in Euphoria to her career-defining work in Challengers and Dune, Zendaya has become one of the most acclaimed performers of her generation. Which is her best?

Euphoria

Zendaya made history as the youngest woman to win an Emmy for Lead Actress in a Drama, playing Rue Bennett — a teenager battling addiction — with heartbreaking honesty and undeniable command.

1/12

Challengers

Zendaya's steely, magnetic performance as tennis coach Tashi Duncan across two timelines proved she is a top-tier dramatic actress, with critics calling it her finest film work to date.

2/12

Dune: Part Two

As the fierce, skeptical Fremen warrior Chani, Zendaya provides the moral and emotional anchor of Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic with an intensity and physicality that commands every scene.

3/12

Dune

Though her role was small in the first film, her haunting presence as the mysterious Chani left audiences desperate to see more of her in the sequel.

4/12

Malcolm & Marie

Shot in black-and-white during the pandemic, Zendaya held her own in an intense two-hander opposite John David Washington, demonstrating serious dramatic range in a dialogue-driven deep dive.

5/12

Spider-Man: No Way Home

As MJ, Zendaya is the emotional heart of the multiversal finale, delivering a genuinely tearful goodbye that elevated the character far beyond a typical superhero love interest.

6/12

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Zendaya's deadpan, bookish MJ immediately stood apart from every previous Spider-Man love interest, bringing wit and authenticity to a MCU debut that sparked enormous fan excitement.

7/12

The Greatest Showman

Zendaya is luminous as trapeze artist Anne Wheeler, her scenes with Zac Efron generating the film's most memorable romantic electricity, and her acrobatic sequences are genuinely breathtaking.

8/12

Shake It Up

The Disney Channel series that launched Zendaya as a star, where her natural charisma and dance ability were evident from episode one — a beloved piece of her origin story.

9/12

K.C. Undercover

Zendaya executive-produced and headlined this action-comedy series as a teen spy, showcasing leadership and comedic timing that signaled she was ready for bigger things.

10/12

Spider-Man: Far From Home

The film where MJ's relationship with Peter truly blossomed, Zendaya brought vulnerability and humor to a character who finally got to be funny, brave, and romantically central.

11/12

Zapped

An early Disney Channel movie that gave Zendaya her first film lead role — a cult favorite among fans who followed her career from the beginning and appreciate where it all started.

12/12