‘Euphoria’ Star Zendaya Explains How She Chooses Her Roles and What Guides Her Career Decisions

Zendaya is opening up about how she chooses her roles, and her answer gives a clear look at how she has built such a varied and high-profile career.

In an interview with Vogue Brazil, Zendaya explained that she is drawn to characters that feel layered and challenging. She said she looks for roles that push her as an actor and make her curious about the story from the very first read.

She explained, “I like complex and interesting characters that challenge me and unfold. When I’m choosing roles, I get a lot of inspiration from the script. For me, it’s not easy to maintain attention for very long; I get distracted very easily when I’m reading. When you read a script that really captures your imagination and attention, when you really enter the world that’s being built and want to know what happens to these characters, that’s when I know I’m kind of on the right track.”

Zendaya also said she pays attention to how a script makes her feel emotionally and mentally. If it feels exciting but also a little intimidating, she sees that as a good sign. In her words, “It’s important that the work is exciting, but also a little scary—like, a little healthy fear about whether or not I’ll be able to embody the character is always good. It’s a challenge for me to complete.”

Another key part of her decision-making process is the people she works with. She said that directors play a big role in what projects she takes on, explaining, “And, of course, filmmakers. Working with specific directors motivates me.”

Looking at her recent and upcoming work, that approach is clear. Zendaya has built a career that moves between big franchises and more character-focused projects. Her roles in films like Spider-Man and Dune show her work in major blockbusters, while projects like Challengers highlight more complex and emotionally driven performances.

According to recent film updates, Zendaya has a very busy schedule ahead, with multiple major releases lined up, including The Drama, The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Dune: Part Three. She is also continuing her work on the series Euphoria, which remains one of her most recognized TV roles.

Her comments help explain why her filmography feels so varied. She is not just choosing big roles for scale or popularity, but focusing on scripts that hold her attention and characters that challenge her ability as an actress.

With her growing list of collaborations with major directors like Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve, and Luca Guadagnino, Zendaya’s approach clearly centers on strong storytelling and creative challenge rather than sticking to one type of role.

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