Zendaya, now a major star in blockbuster film franchises and acclaimed television, once came close to joining the popular Disney Channel franchise ‘Descendants’ years ago after auditioning multiple times, according to a former executive at the company. The ‘Descendants’ films, which debuted in 2015 and focus on the teenage children of classic Disney villains, have since spawned multiple sequels and spin-offs airing on Disney Channel and Disney+. The franchise’s latest installment, ‘Descendants: The Rise of Red’, was released last month exclusively on Disney+.
Speaking on the podcast ‘Magical Rewind’, hosted by former Disney Channel stars Will Friedle and Sabrina Bryan, Cornelia Frame, Disney Channel’s former Vice President of Casting and Talent Relations, revealed details of Zendaya’s numerous auditions for roles in ‘Descendants’. “Zendaya did audition many times for ‘Descendants’, and that was a big deal. She auditioned over and over and really wanted it,” said Frame. At the time, Zendaya was already starring in popular shows for Disney like ‘Shake It Up’ from 2010 to 2013 and ‘K.C. Undercover’ from 2015 to 2018.
However, Frame mused, missing out on ‘Descendants’ may have opened the door for Zendaya’s career-defining role of MJ opposite Tom Holland in 2017’s megahit ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’. “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,” remarked Frame.
Zendaya’s star status has reached new heights in the years since her Disney Channel beginnings, with leading roles in blockbuster franchises like ‘Dune’ and acclaimed films such as ‘Malcolm & Marie.’ She has also earned international fame starring as troubled teen Rue on HBO’s Emmy-winning series ‘Euphoria’, for which she won Outstanding Lead Actress in 2020 and 2021.
While it remains unknown which specific ‘Descendants’ character Zendaya yearned to play, fans are left wondering how the franchise may have been different had she been cast. Her story also serves as a reminder that missed opportunities sometimes pave the way for greater success.
As Zendaya’s career from Disney star to Hollywood juggernaut continues to impress, this new insight into her early auditions adds an intriguing “what if” to her exemplary career path and determination.