Before she was taking the world by storm in blockbusters and award-winning projects like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Zendaya was killing it on the Disney Channel. She starred in several Disney Channel Original Movies and TV shows.
Disney jumpstarted Zendaya’s career, allowing her to show off her dance moves, vocals, and acting chops. She grew up working for Disney, and like several child stars before her, she has gone on to rule the entertainment industry. All of her projects are considered and ranked by IMDb.
Shake It Up (2010 - 2013) - 4.9
Starring Zendaya and Bella Thorne, Shake It Up is about Rocky and Cece, two best friends who dream of being professional dancers. Their dream begins to come true when they’re accepted into the cast of ‘Shake It Up Chicago’. With their new-found fame, Rocky and Cece go on wild adventures together, shaking it up all over Chicago and beyond.
Named the best character from this Disney Channel series, Zendaya plays Rocky Blue, half of the iconic best friend duo that heads the show. Shake It Up is what gave Zendaya her start in acting. Because of her performance in this show, she went on to guest star in A.N.T. Farm, star in Disney Channel Original Movies, and everything else she has done since. The acting wasn’t great and some of the scenarios in Shake It Up are cringe-worthy, but Disney did something right with this show by hiring Zendaya.
Frenemies (2012) - 5.0
Frenemies is about three sets of friends whose worlds blend together when conflict arises in each of their friendships. Zendaya stars in this film alongside Bella Thorne and actor Nick Robinson who went on to star in hit movies such as Everything, Everything. Zendaya plays Halley Brandon, co-creator of Geekly Chic, an online magazine. Conflict brews when Halley and her friend Avalon (Thorne) are forced to compete against each other for the same job.
Zendaya succeeds at portraying Halley as a geeky character with a unique sense of style. She is able to show confidence in anything she wears and any scene she is in. Her chemistry with Bella Thorne is just as great as ever and helps to give authenticity to their characters. Despite Zendaya’s performance, Frenemies falls short for many audiences due to the broken up storylines and questionable messaging.
A.N.T. Farm (2011 - 2014) - 5.0
A.N.T. Farm is about the Advanced Natural Talent Program, a program for child prodigies, taking place at a high school. The show follows three child geniuses, Chyna, Olive, and Fletcher, as they face the struggles of growing up and standing out. Zendaya makes a guest appearance in season 2 of the show as Sequoia, a movie star conducting research for a new movie about a musical prodigy.
Zendaya’s character is not who she seems, as she begins to follow and study every last detail about Chyna until she essentially takes over her life. Zendaya plays Sequoia with wacky facial expressions and visual gags. She prioritizes comedy over believability in this performance but it works well for the show and the episode she is a part of. A.N.T. Farm is rarely regarded as one of the greatest Disney Channel shows, however, many viewers agree that China Anne McClain did great in her role.
Zapped (2014) - 5.0
Zapped is about Zoey, a girl who moves in with her newly blended family and becomes overwhelmed with the annoying boys in her life. When her phone takes an epic spill, an app she ed to give dogs commands, works on boys. Zoey must learn the world doesn’t revolve around her, and that some things are and should remain out of one’s control.
Zapped, as well as Frenemies and several other DCOMs, is adapted from a book. Zendaya plays Zoey, a role different from most of her other Disney Channel projects due to the character’s cynicism and simultaneous apathy for the issues others face because of her actions. This may cause viewers to find Zoey unlikable, and send in lower ratings. This film shows a more serious side of Zendaya’s acting capabilities while maintaining that comedic balance the Disney Channel is known for.
K.C. Undercover (2015 - 2018) - 6.2
K.C. Undercover follows an intelligent teenager who learns she comes from a long line of spies and must balance her new secret life with school and friendships. She goes on dangerous missions with her family and must battle high-stakes situations daily, making for a fun and exciting children’s sitcom.
Zendaya plays the titular Spider-Man: Homecoming were released.
Pixie Hollow Games (2011) - 7.1
From 2008 until the mid-2010s, Disney grew the Tinker Bell franchise, creating several films and shorts with the winged characters. Pixie Hollow Games is a short film about a friendly competition between the different fairy groups. The short focuses on the Garden fairies and their attempt at redemption after years of placing last. Zendaya voices Fern, a garden fairy who pulls Rosetta’s name from a basket and urges her to be a part of the team, seemingly because she always manages to avoid it each year.
Zendaya’s voice is nearly unrecognizable in this short film today, even in the theme song, “Dig Down Deeper” which she performs and shoots a music video for. The message of the film is about not giving up or doubting one’s abilities. Disney uses Pixie Hollow Games to bring awareness of the Olympic Games to kids in a fun way, possibly a reason for it’s higher-than-average rating.
Good Luck Charlie (2010 - 2014) - 7.1
Good Luck Charlie is about a big family in Colorado navigating life and new additions to the family. In a 2011 episode, The Duncan girls travel to Chicago to meet their aunt but find themselves mixed up in “Shake It Up Chicago” when they’re mistaken for a dancing duo called the Duncan Sisters and they don’t correct anybody.
Rocky and Cece appear in the episode. They welcome Amy, Teddy, and Charlie to the show and help them learn how to dance. Zendaya plays her Shake It Up character here, allowing her to share her acting and dance talent with fans of one of the most revered Disney Channel shows of the 2010s. Zendaya may no longer be best known for her work with the channel, but fans of her recent projects have Disney to thank for allowing her a platform to shine.