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Zendaya Coleman Talks Being 'Woke' In Vogue’s Latest Cover Story

The 22-year-old actress says her dream role is to play Angela Davis.

After turning heads at the Met Gala with her statement-making Cinderella gown, Zendaya Coleman looks like a golden goddess on the June cover of Vogue magazine. 

 

(Photo: Tyler Mitchell for Vogue Magazine)

Photo: Tyler Mitchell for Vogue Magazine

(Photo: Tyler Mitchell for Vogue Magazine)

The cover star is channeling the roaring '20s by donning a bronze, sequin, plunging-neckline dress by Ralph Lauren collection with her hair perfected with beautiful finger waves. The gorgeous gal opted for the no-makeup makeup trend, which perfectly accentuates her beautiful brown eyes.

The 22-year-old actress and activist, a title she says she prefers to shy away from, is gearing up for an eventful summer, starting press for her upcoming Spider-Man role, Spider-Man: Far from Home, and wrapping up episodes of her upcoming HBO series, Euphoria. Although Zendaya is very “woke,” when asked about being called an activist, she says, “It’s nice, but I’m not.” 

Z’s upcoming role on Euphoria is a far stretch from the roles she’s played for Disney. The show is a drama series where her character plays a teen who’s a recovering drug addict. 

Euphoria's executive producer, Sam Levinson, spoke very highly of her in the upcoming role, saying, "There's a way Z can vacillate between seeming extremely tough and extremely vulnerable, and it's all in her face," he told Vogue. "She can flip on a dime. I felt like, 'That's the person who can channel this character and her mix of madness and sweetness.' It was an instinct."

Although she doesn’t like to be called an activist, Z has been vocal about helping with issues happening in her hometown of Oakland, including gentrification. She says, "I keep thinking, 'Is there a way I can help with this, through art'" she told Vogue? "I mean, obviously, I've got a platform... but I also know, don't just post whatever. You've got to listen to people. Talking is important. But walking the talk is important, too." When asked about her dream role, Zendaya tells Vogue that her dream role would be to play the iconic Angela Davis in a biopic. 

With over 10 years in the entertainment business, Zendaya not only makes her agenda known through activism, but she is very conscious of the biases taking place in the fashion and movie industries. When debuting her Zendaya x Tommy Hilfiger collection during Paris Fashion week, Z had the most awe-inspiring runway with her age-, race- and size-inclusive show. Supermodels Pat Cleveland, Beverly Johnson and Grace Jones even closed out the show. 

The cover was styled by Camilla Nickerson and shot by Tyler Mitchell. Vogue's June 2019 issue is available on newsstands nationwide May 21.

 

 

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