The idea of trying to direct in the future excites me.
In a recent interview with her Euphoria co-star Colman Domingo, Zendaya talked about wanting to direct in the future and what stories she would like to create from that role. Already a successful actress and producer, she told Domingo that she doesn’t have any plan or outline for when she would like to achieve specific goals in her career. Instead, she wants to do “the things that make her happy and bring her joy and fulfill her as an artist, as a person.”
Zendaya spoke about getting behind the camera when she was asked about the possibility of directing in the future, telling Domingo.
She explains her dream:
The idea of trying to direct in the future excites me. That’s why I’m on set so much. When I’m not in it, I’m right there trying to learn. Be able to, one day, make the things that she wants to see.
Zendaya discusses how she would love to make “a simple love story about two Black girls,” filling a space of representation on this big screen. LGBTQ+ storylines that make it into theatrical films or famous television shows are centered around the trauma of coming out, and oftenly the love connection is between two white people. The story that Zendaya would like to produce would open a door for more types of stories about the LGBTQ+ community and further representation for Black LGBTQ+ voices, allowing the exploration of identities intersecting through the lens of a coming-of-age story.
Zendaya Says:
I would love a coming-of-age story where awkward and funny things happen, just like when any other young person is trying to figure out who they are.
Our existence is broad and expansive and beautiful, and to see all the different emotional colors of what it means to be a young Black girl—I would like to see that because I don’t think I’ve seen many depictions of it.
In addition to the well-deserved critical acclaim surrounding Moonlight, a 2016 coming-of-age drama starring Mahershala Ali, André Holland, Trevante Rhodes, LGBTQ + love stories between two black people rarely find the spotlight they deserve. Zendaya is full of talent, and her love of telling compelling stories that highlight human experience makes her an excellent fit for the director of these types of movies. Zendaya hopes to use his skills as a storyteller as a means of activism and make a difference.
Zendaya further added:
I don’t want it to be rooted in anything other than just a story about two people falling in love, and that’s it. Something simple and beautiful that leaves you happy and wanting to fall in love yourself.
