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Zendaya is arguably one of the biggest young stars in Hollywood, with her stint in the MCU as MJ bolstering her fame. However, long before the actress bagged the role, theEuphoriastar relentlessly auditioned to be a part of another Disney franchise but missed out on every single occasion.
In an interview, a Disney executive revealed how Zendaya had auditioned several times for one of Disney’s most popular franchises. However, the actress eventually went on to join Tom Holland in theSpider-Manfranchise’s MCU reboot, which catapulted her to further fame. Here is everything you need to know about Zendaya’s failed Disney auditions.
Zendaya Auditioned For Disney’s Descendants Franchise Before BaggingSpider-ManRole
Zendaya is best known for playing the role of Rue in the HBO teen-drama seriesEuphoria. However, her performance as MJ in the MCU, particularly theTom Holland-ledSpider-Manfilms has also received widespread praise.
Before she became a mainstay of theSpider-Manfranchise, Zendaya had auditioned to be a part of Disney Channel’sDescendantsfranchise on several occasions. Cornelia Frame, the former VP of Casting at the network spoke about Zendaya’s auditions on theMagical Rewindpodcast.
It was a really big deal. She auditioned over and over and really wanted it. It just ended up not going her way.
Frame made the above statement explaining why Zendaya’s appearance inDescendantswasn’t meant to be despite the efforts from the actress to bag a part in the franchise.
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Zendaya first made a name for herself with the Disney Channel sitcomShake It Upbefore leadingK.C. Undercover. As a result ofher long association with the network, it is easy to see why the actress would have wanted to appear in its biggest franchise.
Spider-ManProducers Were Unaware of Zendaya While Casting Her
Zendayaeventually transitioned into mature roles withEuphoriaand also gained recognition for her portrayal of MJ inSpider-Man: Homecoming. The film served as a reboot of the franchise and was a co-production between Marvel Studios and Sony.
During an interview withVouge, producer Amy Pascal who worked on theSpider-Manfranchise, revealed that she thought the actress was just a regular girl when she was cast as MJ. She said:
To be honest with you, neither [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige nor I knew who she was.
Pascal explained that they were looking for a personality like Zendaya and instantly felt that she should be cast in the first installment of the newSpider-Manmovies starring Holland in the lead role.
“But this time he prevailed”: Spider-Man: No Way Home Script For Andrew Garfield and Zendaya’s Scene Will Make Marvel Fans Cry
However, Pascal admitted that she and Feige later found out about Zendaya’s pre-existing fanbase and popularity. As a result, the producers felt really stupid about the process of casting Zendaya. Nonetheless, given the overwhelmingly positive reactions to her performance, it is safe to say that it was the right call to cast Zendaya.
Spider-Man: Homecomingis streaming on Disney+.
Pratik Handore
Content Writer
Articles Published :1774
With a keen interest in comic book movies and blockbuster franchises, Pratik usually covers news and updates on the DCU, MCU, Star Wars, and more.A die-hard fan of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, Pratik spends most of his time exploring different storytelling mediums that invoke a sense of wonder and adventure. Other filmmakers whose works have deeply influenced him include Alfred Hitchcock, James Gunn, and Guillermo del Toro.
