January 4, 2025: Zendaya was a “shy” child.

The 28-year-old star first found fame during her childhood, starring in the Disney Channel sitcom ‘Shake It Up’, and Zendaya now admits that auditioning actually helped to improve her self-confidence.

The Hollywood star told W Magazine: “I was a shy kid, and I gained confidence and a sense of self when I started to audition. I’d create my own little outfits, do my own hair and make-up. Falling into different characters helped me get out of my shell.”

Zendaya feels that acting gives her a real sense of freedom.

The actress has relished starring in ‘Euphoria’, the hit HBO teen drama, and ‘Challengers’, the critically acclaimed sports drama film, in recent years.

She explained: “A reason why I love my job is it allows me the space to be less self-critical and try things, because I don’t have to deal with the consequences of the character’s actions in real life.

“When I’m Rue or when I’m Tashi, for example, I can just be messy, let the instincts come, and not judge myself because I’m not judging them.”

Last year, Zendaya admitted that she felt “a little bit terrified” about returning to ‘Euphoria’.

The actress – who plays Ruby ‘Rue’ Bennett in the teen drama – told Vanity Fair: “I’m a little bit terrified. I’m like, ‘Can I even do this anymore?’ I don’t know.

“To be fair, I get that feeling every time I go onto a new project. You’re always like, ‘What am I even doing?’ On that first day on set, you’re like, ‘I was terrible. I was s***. Everyone hates me. I’m going to get fired tomorrow.’ And when the director’s like, ‘You did a great job’, you’re like, ‘You’re lying. You’re actually lying to me.’ But that’s just part of, again, the Virgo self-criticism.”