Zendaya made a rare move by putting her cleavage on display in a low-cut beige top for the cover of Elle magazine's summer issue. Inside, she wore a plunging brown dress while sitting on a petrified tree for the photoshoot. The Dune star was promoting her new movie The Odyssey, in which she plays Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, and handicrafts.
Elle Covers and Interview
There were several other Elle covers featuring female stars from the movie, including Charlize Theron, Anne Hathaway, and Lupita Nyong'o. During the interview, writer Alexis Okeowo asked Zendaya if she is married to fiancé Tom Holland, noting a gold wedding band on her ring finger. The actress snapped a quick reply: "No, I'm not going to do that. They're always searching for something." The "they" likely refers to her fans online.
Personal Life and New Pet
Zendaya also shared that she and Holland have added a third dog to their family. While visiting her family in Oakland, California, they adopted a pocket bully from a shelter. "Logistically, it wasn't probably the smartest idea," she said. "But emotionally, it was. He's a wonderful addition to our family. I saw his little face and I was like, 'I can't leave you behind.'"
Insecurities and Directing Aspirations
In the interview, Zendaya hinted at her insecurities about directing. "The only hurdle with directing is that it's me, it's not a character, and getting over the fear of not being good enough," she told Elle. "When you watch someone like Christopher Nolan, or Luca Guadagnino, it makes me think, 'Who am I to think that I can do that?' I sure hope I can grow up and just do it and not be so afraid." Insecurity has also kept her from pursuing theater acting. "I've always been way too much of a scaredy-cat to get onstage. But maybe one day, I'll, again, stop being a chicken and get out there," she noted.
Busy Year and Need for a Break
This year has been incredibly busy for Zendaya. "It's going to be a long year, but what's great is that I'm really proud of everything. I just really love my job," she offered. "But I think that after this, I'm going to have to take a little bit of a break." However, she added, "As soon as I take a break, I start to go crazy. And I'm like, 'I need to work.'"
The Odyssey and Role as Athena
In The Odyssey, Zendaya takes on the role of Athena. The film, directed by Christopher Nolan, will be released on July 17 and also stars Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, and Tom Holland. The synopsis reads: "After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Calypso along the way." Zendaya shared, "In many ways, it feels very fitting that that would be the pairing for me." She remarked that she has been called an old soul before, making her a fit to play the goddess. "I don't know what that is, I just feel like I've been here before. And in many ways, I'm an only child—all of my siblings are much older than me; the brother who's closest in age to me was 16 when I was born. So that means I spent a lot of time with my parents." Her grandmother also babysat frequently. "We would sit and hang out and watch Jerry Springer and make root beer floats. Take the bus and go get ice cream and walk around. So I guess the old lady in me was born from the beginning."
Approaching 30 and Euphoria Return
Zendaya can't believe she is almost 30. "I think I do have wisdom to offer, but I also do still feel like a f***ing kid. Like what the f***, I'm about to be 30? I still feel like a child inside," she said. She also mentioned that Euphoria season three was "quite an emotional return": "A lot of life has happened... it was a weird feeling." She recalled, "I remember being on set for Euphoria; it was a night shoot at a ranch. I was so tired, but I was also learning my Chakobsa lines for Dune. And then I started writing out my lines to memorize for that quick turnaround trip I was going to make to Iceland for The Odyssey. It's not like I have a lot of lines in The Odyssey, but I was working with Christopher Nolan! The most embarrassing thing in life would be messing up my lines, which did happen once."
