I think this has been one of the most intense years of my life,” Zendaya told me during a brief phone call in April, as she wrapped up the press tour for The Drama, by Kristoffer Borgli, and the third season of Euphoria. “Though not more intense than last year, when I was filming all these releases,” she added. She’s referring to the upcoming theatrical releases of The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s epic in which she plays the goddess Athena, as well as her return as Michelle Jones-Watson in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Finally, she will release Dune: Part Three in December.
So many releases mean the American actress, one of Hollywood’s biggest fashion icons, will dominate social media throughout the year, wearing borrowed, reworked, or brand-new gowns created in collaboration with Law Roach, her longtime stylist and also the stylist behind the shoot accompanying this feature. Away from the red carpets, she says her main occupation is resting, which is why pajamas have become her current fashion obsession. Below are excerpts from our brief conversation with the charming “Z,” as her publicists affectionately call her.
Vogue: What does 2026 mean for your career?
Zendaya: This has been a year of closing chapters with some characters I’ve had the chance to grow alongside, of finishing their journeys in a really beautiful way. That’s been interesting, especially revisiting a character like in Spider-Man. What’s fascinating about all of this is that I’m revisiting them at very different points in their lives. In almost every case, there’s been some kind of time jump since we last saw them. So getting to understand a character in a new context has been really interesting.
Vogue: How do you choose your characters?
Zendaya: I like complex and interesting characters, ones that challenge me and continue unfolding. When I’m choosing roles, I’m very inspired by the script. It’s not easy for me to stay focused for very long; I get distracted very easily while reading. But when you read a script that truly captures your imagination and attention, when you genuinely enter the world being built and want to know what happens to those characters, that’s when I know I’m on the right track. It’s important that the work feels exciting, but also a little scary, a healthy bit of fear about whether or not I can pull off the character is always good. It’s a challenge for me to complete. And of course, filmmakers matter too. Working with specific directors motivates me.
Vogue: Of the characters premiering this year, which one is most like you?
Zendaya: What’s interesting about any character is that they teach you a lot about yourself. Even if the characters seem very different, there’s still a lot of my own personal emotion that I bring into each of them. And all of them teach me something new about the world and about myself. They’re all parts or facets of me. It’s inevitable that they influence me somehow, especially because I get very attached to them. It’s hard not to bring a little bit of them home with me. But ultimately, I believe in separating things, these are characters, and I try to keep their emotional lives on set and on screen. When the director says “cut,” I usually try to disconnect from them somehow.
Vogue: Speaking of The Odyssey, where you play Athena, that means embodying a mythological figure. How do you find humanity in a character who is literally a goddess?
Zendaya: Good question. I think it really depends on how the character is written, and I can’t say too much because when you see it, it’ll make more sense. But the humanity of the character was already on the page and is a huge part of her story. I didn’t have to do much beyond following the beautiful material that was already there for me.
Vogue: What attracts you to stories that reveal the more uncomfortable sides of intimacy, like your character in The Drama?
Zendaya: Exactly that, the discomfort. It’s important to have art that explores difficult conversations. When I read it, I felt emotional and morally conflicted, with so many questions and thoughts. I thought: if I’m feeling this way just reading it, imagine how audiences will feel watching it. In the end, you hope people take something away from it, that they can discuss it, debate it, and spark real conversations with friends or within their communities. That’s a good thing. It was one of those scripts I couldn’t stop thinking about.
Vogue: About Dune, what interests you most about Chani’s evolution throughout the trilogy?
Zendaya: What’s beautiful about the character is that, unlike many others, she doesn’t have superhuman abilities. She can’t predict the future or control people. At the end of the day, she’s human, and she often functions as a moral compass in that world. She has no hidden agenda, she just wants to protect her planet and her people. There’s something very beautiful about that: in a world full of power, she doesn’t want to be seduced by it. She’d rather dedicate her life to the greater good. That’s admirable.
Vogue: And speaking of fashion, how does your creative process with your stylist Law Roach work?
Zendaya: It’s different with every look. Sometimes it starts with a reference. A lot of the time, we use the worlds of the characters I’m playing as inspiration. I have so much source material, sometimes the references are literal, other times more metaphorical. It’s about experimenting and building an ongoing story. Promoting a film isn’t always the most fun part, so I try to keep the creativity alive and extend that visual language to the red carpet, which can sometimes feel less stimulating.
Vogue: At what point in your career did you realize fashion could also be a form of power and self-positioning?
Zendaya: Very early on. Law and I always used fashion to help distinguish me and create my identity outside of my work. It gave me confidence and played a huge role in building my career.
Vogue: Can you give an example of a look that made you feel especially powerful?
Zendaya: I wore a look inspired by Joan of Arc. It was like wearing a knight’s armor, literally. It made me feel really powerful and confident. It was one of my favorites.
Vogue: Is there anything you would never wear?
Zendaya: I don’t have strict rules. The most important thing is how clothes make me feel. I’ve learned that if I like something, that’s enough. I can’t control what other people think. At the end of the day, the only opinion that truly matters is our own. If you feel beautiful, then you are beautiful.
Vogue: Do you have any current obsession?
Zendaya: Right now I’m in full relaxation mode, so I basically only wear pajamas. My current obsession is pajama sets.
Vogue: What memories do you have of Brazil?
Zendaya: Every time I’ve been there has been for work, and I wish I could stay longer. What I carry with me most from Brazil is the love I receive there. There’s so much joy, and the fans have such a strong presence. People are welcoming and enthusiastic. That spirit is really beautiful. I remember a promotional event for Dune, I had never felt such strong energy from an audience before. It was incredible, really unforgettable.
Vogue: If you could speak to your 16-year-old self, what advice would you give?
Zendaya: I’d tell her to trust herself. That I’m doing the right thing and I’ll recognize when something feels right. To follow my instincts. When we’re young, we don’t know much, and honestly, nobody fully does. But it’s important to listen to yourself and follow your heart. I know a lot of young people follow my work, and that’s a huge responsibility. I don’t take it lightly. I want my art to be free, but I’m also aware of how I present myself to the world. I try to do the best I can, even knowing I won’t always have all the answers. In the end, all I can do is my best.
Vogue: Outside of film, television, and fashion, what helps remind you who you are beyond your public persona?
Zendaya: Being with my family. We’re very close. I’m an aunt, and watching my nieces and nephews grow up is really important to me. They bring so much into my life without even realizing it. Sometimes it’s simple things, like helping redecorate my niece’s bedroom. In those moments, I’m just Aunt Daya, and that’s more than enough.
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