Zendaya Most Underrated Roles

In this animated adventure, Zendaya voices Chi, a feisty duckling who becomes part of an unexpected journey with a carefree goose. Her performance balances Chi's sass with vulnerability, adding warmth to a film that received relatively little attention despite its light hearted story.

One of Zendaya's earliest screen roles came in the Disney Channel movie Frenemies, where she played Halley Brandon, a teenager who runs a web magazine with her best friend, played by Bella Thorne. The story explores friendship, rivalry and the complications of growing up, while Zendaya brings a natural mix of humour and emotion to the role.

This intimate black-and-white drama is one of Zendaya's most demanding performances. As Marie, she spends much of the film navigating an emotionally charged night with her filmmaker boyfriend, played by John David Washington. With long, dialogue-heavy scenes and very little room to hide behind spectacle, Zendaya delivers a raw and deeply vulnerable performance.

Zendaya voices Meechee, a curious young yeti who becomes fascinated by the possibility that humans exist beyond her community. Her performance brings warmth and determination to the animated musical, while Meechee's curiosity drives much of the story. It remains an easily overlooked but enjoyable entry in Zendaya's voice acting work.

Zendaya took on the voice of Lola Bunny in this modern reboot of the beloved Space Jam franchise. Paired with LeBron James and the Looney Tunes characters, she gives Lola a confident and lively personality. It may not be her most celebrated project, but it is a fun reminder of her versatility as a voice performer.

Long before her biggest Hollywood roles, Zendaya lent her voice to Lollipop, a spirited puppy in Disney's Super Buddies. The family comedy follows a group of golden retrievers who gain superpowers from magical rings. Zendaya's playful voice performance gives Lollipop plenty of charm and makes this an interesting early entry in her filmography.

As Anne Wheeler, a talented trapeze artist in The Greatest Showman, Zendaya brought warmth and emotional depth to the musical drama. Her character's relationship with Phillip, played by Zac Efron, becomes one of the film's emotional threads, while their performance of “Rewrite the Stars” remains one of its most memorable moments. It is an early example of Zendaya combining acting, singing and physical performance on a major screen.

Zendaya stars as Zoey Stevens in this Disney Channel comedy about a teenager whose smartphone mysteriously gains the ability to control boys around her. The unusual premise gives Zendaya plenty of opportunities for comedy, and her charismatic performance makes this a nostalgic pick from her early acting years.