Zendaya Speaks Out Against Hollywood’s Limited View of African-American Beauty

Zendaya had a big 2017 thanks to roles in Spider-Man: Homecoming and The Greatest Showman, two massively successful movies that catapulted the former Disney star into the mainstream. Now with a bigger audience than ever before, Zendaya is using her privilege and her platform to call for change in not only the beauty industry, but the entire world.

During a panel during this past weekend’s Beautycon Festival in New York City, Zendaya spoke with moderator Bozoma Saint John about Hollywood’s perception of Zendaya as a black woman.

“As a black woman, as a light-skinned black woman, it’s important that I’m using my privilege, my platform to show you how much beauty there is in the African-American community,” said Zendaya. “I am Hollywood’s, I guess you could say, acceptable version of a black girl and that needs to change. We’re vastly too beautiful and too interesting for me to be the only representation of that. What I’m saying, it’s about creating those opportunities. Sometimes you have to create those paths. And that’s with anything, Hollywood, art, whatever.”

Zendaya’s comments were applauded on Twitter, with people praising the 21-year-old actress for calling out problems in the industry that many overlook.

 

(via Teen Vogue)

Where to watch The Greatest Showman