Zendaya Talks the Downside of Fame: “I Could Ruin Everybody’s Night”

Zendaya is opening up about some of the less fun parts of being famous. In an interview with Elle published Aug. 23 (but conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike), the star talked about filming her new movie “Challengers” in Boston in 2022 and how the experience made her realize how much her fame has grown recently – with some negative consequences.

“After the last Spider-Man and the last season of ‘Euphoria,’ there was a visceral change,” she explained. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” premiered in December 2021 and season two of “Euphoria” followed in January 2022. “Before, I could get away with going places and getting in and out. But in Boston, I would end up going right back home, because it was really overstimulating.”

The Emmy winner continued, “Everybody would go hang out at a bar or something, and I’d be like, ‘I’d love to, but I think I could ruin everybody’s night. Because it’s just not going to be fun once I’m there.'” She remembered that she recently ran to a store to get a pillow and was photographed by customers. “I was just like, Why? You see I’m flustered,” she said. And during a recent trip to Italy, she thought she’d go on a leisurely walk with her dog, only to be photographed again. “I had to pick up his poo, and I was like, Lord, please, don’t take a picture of me picking up my dog’s sh*t,” she said. “There’s a picture of me holding the bag, but thankfully they spared the grabbing and the putting it in the bag part.”

Zendaya noted that she tries to balance keeping things private while also sharing things, including when it comes to her relationship with her Spider-Man costar Tom Holland. “I do have control over what I choose to share. It’s about protecting the peace and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist,” she explained. “You can’t hide. That’s not fun, either. I am navigating it more than ever now.”

Zendaya’s “Challengers” was originally scheduled to be released this fall but has been delayed to April 2024 amid the ongoing actors strike. She’ll also appear in “Dune: Part Two” alongside Timothée Chalamet and Austin Butler, which is still scheduled for release this November. “Euphoria” has been renewed for season three, but there’s been no news yet about when it might premiere.

Related: From Birthday Parties to Press Tours, Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet’s Friendship Is 1 For the Ages