Zendaya

Born in 1996, Zendaya Coleman started acting as a child, appearing in productions at the California Shakespeare Theater and other theatrical companies near her hometown of Oakland, California. Zendaya attended the Oakland School for the Arts. In 2010, she made her television debut in the popular tween comedy series Shake It Up with Bella Thorne. Zendaya signed a recording deal with Hollywood Records in 2012.

Born in 1996, Zendaya Coleman started acting as a child, appearing in productions at the California Shakespeare Theater and other theatrical companies near her hometown of Oakland, California. Zendaya attended the Oakland School for the Arts. In 2010, she made her television debut in the popular tween comedy series Shake It Up with Bella Thorne. Zendaya signed a recording deal with Hollywood Records in 2012.

In addition to her theatrical work, Zendaya had some early success as a model, working for companies such as Macy's and Old Navy. For a Sears commercial, Zendaya performed as a back-up dancer for Selena Gomez. She eventually decided to use only her first name professionally. "Zendaya" means "to give thanks" in the language of the Shona people of Zimbabwe.

In 2010, Zendaya saw her career take off with the debut of Shake It Up on the Disney Channel. The then-14-year-old performer described the show to McClatchy-Tribune Business News as "a buddy comedy about two best friends who dream of becoming professional dancers and finally get their chance when they get to audition for their favorite show."

Zendaya and her co-star, Bella Thorne, have become tween idols to their young fan base. The songs they've sung on the show, including "Something to Dance For," have been hit downloads with their target audience, and their two characters have become so popular that they even inspired their own fashion line.