From Disney Darling to 'Spider-Man' Star, Here's How Zendaya Earned Her Millions

Twenty-six-year-old Zendaya made history when she became the youngest person ever to win an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her outstanding performance as Rue in HBO's Euphoria. She has earned her success through hard work and dedication, and she absolutely deserves all the accolades and fortune that come her way.

What is Zendaya's net worth? 

The American actress, singer, dancer and producer has a net worth of $22 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. She has had a remarkable journey from being a child actor in Disney shows to becoming a prominent movie star and a thriving entrepreneur. Her professional career kickstarted as a model, featuring in advertisements for Macy's, Old Navy and merchandise related to the show "iCarly." She then showcased her talent as a dancer in various commercials and music videos.

From Oakland to Hollywood

Zendaya Coleman was born on September 1, 1996 in Oakland, California, to a diverse heritage—her mother Claire Stoermer has Scottish and German ancestry and her father Kazembe Ajamu Coleman is African-American. She grew up as the youngest of six siblings and attended Fruitvale Elementary School where her mother worked as a teacher. At the age of six, she discovered her passion for acting while participating in a play for Black History Month and continued honing her skills in various local theatrical productions and dance troupes.

In seventh grade, her family moved to Los Angeles where she completed high school at Oak Park High School, graduating in 2015.

Career highlights

In 2010, Zendaya's career took off as she assumed the role of Rocky Blue in the series "Shake It Up." The show's premiere garnered a massive audience of 6.2 million viewers, making it the second highest-rated premiere for Disney Channel since its inception in 1983. Over the course of three seasons, "Shake It Up" aired 75 episodes and Zendaya reportedly earned $140,000 for her role across the three seasons, per Women's Health. 

During the same year, she released the promotional single "Swag It Out" and collaborated with her "Shake It Up" co-star Bella Thorne on the song "Watch Me," which peaked at #86 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart. 

In 2017, Zendaya soared to new heights in her career with starring roles in two blockbuster films, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and "The Greatest Showman." The movies earned $880.2 million and $435 million at the box office, respectively. The following year, she returned as MJ in "Spider-Man: Far from Home," which surpassed its predecessors with a remarkable worldwide gross of $1.132 billion. In October 2019, it was officially confirmed that she would reprise her role in the next installment, "Spider-Man: No Way Home." She earned at least $10 million from the "Spider-Man" franchise. 

Since 2019, Zendaya has been impressing audiences with her acting skills, earning two Primetime Emmy awards for her role as Rue Bennett in HBO's "Euphoria" and earning approximately $1 million per episode, according to reports. In 2020, she was cast as Ronnie Spector in an upcoming biopic titled "Be My Baby" and served as a producer. For the upcoming film "Challengers," Zendaya will reportedly earn $11 million. 

Endorsements

Zendaya has represented numerous renowned brands throughout her career. She served as the face of Madonna's Material Girl clothing line as well as CoverGirl, Beats Electronics, and Chi Hair Care. In 2019, she became a spokesmodel for Lancôme, and in 2020, she was chosen as the brand ambassador for Valentino and Bulgari. The CNMI Green Carpet Fashion Awards recognized her efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion in the fashion and film industry, honoring her with a Visionary Award in the same year. In 2022, Glaceau SmartWater appointed her as their global brand ambassador. And most recently, in 2023, Zendaya became an ambassador for the prestigious fashion brand, Louis Vuitton.

Social media following

Zendaya has millions of followers on Instagram (184 million as of August 2, 20233), Twitter (20.8 million as of August 2, 2023) and Vine. As of January 2022, she charged more than $300,000 per social media post, per Afro Tech.  

Real estate and automotives

The "Spider-Man" star purchased a $4.9 million condo in the spectacular Quay Tower in Brooklyn, New York in December 2020 that can rival a five-star hotel, per Hello! Magazine.  In 2017, Zendaya paid $1.4 million for a home in Northridge, California. In March 2020, she paid $4 million for a 5,000-square-foot home sitting on four acres in Encino, California.

Zendaya’s automotive collection includes a Cadillac Escalade worth $76,295, a Lexus GS worth $51,065, a Lexus RC 350 worth $45,150, and a Mercedes E-Class worth $64,950, per GH Gossip.