When Zendaya was little, her dad wanted her to be like Lebron James. The actor grew up in a basketball family—her mom is 6’4” and her dad was her gym teacher and basketball coach, so the sport was monumental for her throughout childhood and adolescence.
While she didn’t end up a professional basketball player, it’s safe to say she turned out OK, having won a 2020 Emmy Award for her leading role on HBO’s “Euphoria.” But in her newest role as Lola Bunny in “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” the actor has come closer than ever before to fulfilling her dad’s dream.
How To Get Cast on ‘Euphoria’ Talking to E!, she described the pressure she felt portraying the iconic role (even though she was born in 1996, the very same year the original film was released). Speaking to her character’s modern look, Zendaya says, “She’s a team member, MVP, she’s gotta be suited right. [The outfit] is probably more realistic to actually hooping.”
Zendaya goes on to describe the character as smart and capable, a natural leader who manages to bring the Tunes together with pep talks. So when she got the call from producer Ryan Coogler—whom she had always wanted to work with—to join the cast alongside James, she was “honored” and says she jumped at the opportunity to play a “new iteration” of what Lola represents now in the world.
She adds: “She’s very special, and I felt very lucky they thought I would be able to bring my voice to her.”
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