Zendaya

Zendaya Trends As Social Media Users Debate Her Acting Skills: ‘She Treats Everything Like A Disney Channel Original Movie’

Actress Zendaya was trending on X (formerly Twitter) recently as fans and critics discussed her acting performances.

The Disney Channel alum became the center of conversation after a social media user criticized her portrayal of a complicated tennis professional in the recently released Challengers film.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the movie, Challengers stars Zendaya, 27, taking on the role of fictional tennis player turned coach Tashi as she navigates the game she loves amid a love triangle between her and co-stars Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. The film was released back in April of this year and has earned $86 million at the box office.

Despite the box office success, it seems not everyone is a fan of Zendaya’s latest project or her body of work. One critic of the actress wrote about the matter on X:

“saw challengers last night… perplexed by how zendaya delivers all her lines. seems overdone in a way i previously thought was due to a poor script or the severity of her roles (malcolm & marie, dunes, etc). friend said she treats everything like a disney channel original movie…”

Another user who agreed with the opinion added:

“Zendaya is sexy but not a sexual being. I can’t think of a single piece of media where she had chemistry with another person. The boys were shouldering the burden in Challengers, and luckily her character could withstand her asexuality. It’s totally disney-related”

The remarks slowly began gaining traction as social media users chimed in with their own polarizing thoughts. Some agreed with criticism of Zenday’s acting ability and chemistry with her fictional love interests, also bringing up the on-screen relationship between Zendaya and her Euphoria co-star Hunter Schafer. However, others fiercely defended the celebrity, instead questioning critics’ expectations of what intimacy for entertainment should look like. One user wrote:

“What do you want Zendaya to do? Show her naked body and have multiple sex scenes on screen in order for you to be satisfied about her being a ‘sexual being’??”

While another added:

“I am not the world’s biggest Zendaya defender and a few months ago I was pretty unsure about how good of an actress she actually is but she was elite in Challengers and I think you are just being contrary to argue differently”

Many others shared similar sentiments.

Whatever critics may say, Zendaya’s talent as an actress has certainly been recognized amongst her peers at the highest levels. Thus far, the California native has earned a Golden Globe Award as well as two Primetime Emmy Awards. The latter was a historic feat., as Zendaya became the first and only Black woman to win Best Actress in a Drama Series category.

Additionally, Zendaya has landed some of the most lucrative roles in Hollywood, including her recurring/starring role as MJ alongside boyfriend Tom Holland in the popular Spiderman series.

What are your thoughts on Zendaya’s acting skills? Tell us in the comments below!