Posts flooded Instagram pages of young fans when actress and role model, Zendaya, won an Emmy. Zendaya won the category for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and became the youngest, at 24, to win an Emmy for that category. Zendaya got her start on Disney Channel. She went on to starring in movies like the Greatest Showman and Spiderman: Homecoming, and she is now starring in the hit drama Euphoria.
Zendaya was up against several older actresses, such as Jennifer Aniston, Laura Linney, and Sandra Oh. According to the New York Times, Zendaya was inspired by the women in her category as well as others her age who were making a difference in this world. Now Zendaya has become someone who inspires those younger than her to do the same.
“There is hope in the young people out there, and I just want to say to all my peers out there doing the work in the street: I see you, I admire you, I thank you,” said Zendaya in her acceptance speech.
The show Euphoria deals with a 17-year-old girl dealing with addiction. Her role as Rue sheds light and understanding of a young character dealing with the hardships of life.
“She is a full, whole human being and she’s layered and she’s complicated… For me, I’ve always been very grateful for all the people who feel that they connect to Rue or feel that, through the show, they’ve been able to put or attach words or find themselves within a scene or a moment where they otherwise felt alone,” said Zendaya in an interview about her character, Rue.
For many of the young women at Broughton, Zendaya has become a huge inspiration and symbol of hope and success. Through her many roles and the way she presents herself, Zendaya has handled herself with grace and poise and has become a relatable role model for the young women at Broughton.
“Zendaya winning the Emmy really inspires me because she started off as a young girl on Disney Channel; she worked really hard to get where she is. It inspires me to work really hard to achieve my goals. Her being so young and winning and Emmy proves to me that you can do anything,” said sophomore Dani Schollmoller.
She is not only the youngest in history to win this category but she is also the second black actress to win for that category following Viola Davis. At her age, she has accomplished so much and has even been a spokesperson for issues such as colorism. BBC commented on this by adding how Zendaya has described herself as “the industry’s acceptable version of a black girl” because her skin is lighter. Despite this, Zendaya has continued to use her platform to speak up and show that no matter who you are and where you come from, you can accomplish great things.
“Black excellence, in this day and age, is always going to be celebrated by me and hopefully others in different communities as well, since the world has become more divided than ever, so this win can not only bring people of the same race but same generation even the same gender together and celebrate someone we all look up to and love,” said senior Kennedi McNeil.