"I just want to do the things that make me happy"- When Zendaya expressed her interest in directing
Zendaya and Tom Holland are perhaps the most trending couple in the world right now, with the recent news of their engagement. However, barring her personal life, Zendaya also had a great year in the industry with her role in Challengers, which is a name that keeps popping up in the award ceremonies. The actress is also gearing up for a role in Christopher Nolan's upcoming movie.
Everything combined, the 28-year-old actress seems to be right on the track of greatness, and it raises the question about what is ahead for the acclaimed actress. In a 2021 interview with Coleman Domingo for The Interview Magazine, Zendaya indicated where she wanted to head in the future.
While simultaneously expressing that she doesn't have a plan for the future and would like to do whatever makes her happy at that moment, she hinted that she would like to direct one day, telling Coleman Domingo:
"I don’t necessarily have a plan. I’ve never really thought, “I have to do this by this time and I want to do this by that time.” I just want to do the things that make me happy and bring me joy and fulfill me as an artist, as a person. So, I keep that loose, because if one day it turns into a completely different career path, then I would allow myself to do that."
She added:
"The idea of trying to direct in the future excites me. That’s why I’m on set so much."
She then expressed what kind of movie she plans to make and how she actively engages in trying to learn about the craft.
Zendaya wants to make "a simple love story"
While it may still be far from actually happening, Zendaya was already preparing to step into the director's role sometime in the future and also had a vision of the kind of movie she wanted to make. While discussing this with Domingo, Zendaya said about her efforts to learn the craft:
"When I’m not in it, I’m right there trying to learn. I go around and I ask our crew members, “What are you doing today? Can you explain it to me?” Because we’ve got some real vets in the game. So, the hope is that I’ll be able to, one day, make the things that I want to see."
She then answered Domingo about the kind of movie she would want to make. Zendaya elaborated:
"Like a simple love story about two Black girls...And 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."
It seems like the young actress had a vision that could very well be translated into the screen, and if done with enough honesty, it would make a good film.
It's not uncommon for actors to turn into directors, like fellow actors Anna Kendrick and Zoë Kravitz did in 2024. Perhaps there's a whole side of Zendaya that we are yet to see and the possibility is nothing short of exciting.
