Summary

• Zendaya has not done a horror movie yet despite having tackled every other major genre.
• Her ability to balance toughness and warmth makes her an ideal candidate for a horror protagonist role.
• Zendaya's nuanced approach to characters in other genres could offer a fresh take on horror.

There is one particular genre of film Zendaya has yet to tackle but could do well in considering the genre's requirements fitting her layered acting abilities. Zendaya's acting choices in every character she plays highlight her ability to tackle vastly different characters with the same level of balance and dedication, no matter the size of the role. Through this, Zendaya has grown in the film industry, slipping into various genres and characters with ease.

Zendaya has tackled the superhero genre through her time as Mary Jane, giving the beloved comic character a more grounded direction while still maintaining her warmth. She carried that warmth into Dune 2 but also maintained Chani's strength, adding further nuance to her character and her interactions with others. She has showcased her strong sense of humor and comedic timing through her animated roles, such as Smallfoot. However, there is one genre Zendaya has yet to take her considerable talent for nuance into, but could be a genre that approach would be well suited for.

Zendaya Hasn't Done A Horror Movie Yet

Her film Challengers shows her potential in the genre

Zendaya has yet to do a horror movie, which is shocking as her latest film showcases her ability to portray more vicious characters. Zendaya has crossed into many similar genres, such as sci-fi and drama, which can have horror elements and often blend into horror narratives. However, Zendaya has never done a straight horror film despite being suited for it. Zendaya's character in Challengers demonstrates this through her cold demeanor and desire for control at any cost. These are traits Zendaya balances well while still creating an engaging character audiences want to watch, a balance that is needed in horror.

Why Horror Would Be An Exciting Next Step In Zendaya's Acting Career

Her skills make her a perfect candidate for a horror protagonist

Zendaya's ability to build characters who can be both tough and sympathetic would make a horror movie the perfect next step for her career. Zendaya, throughout her movies, showcases the qualities of many strong horror protagonists through her balance of relatability and determination. Due to this, doing a horror movie would not only round out the major genres she has done, but would let her truly demonstrate that nuanced character approach as a horror protagonist as the genre not only scares audiences but forces them to confront the logic of that fear.

The best horror movies force a protagonist through transformative but terrifying situations, something Zendaya is used to as her characters are often faced with those circumstances in a different tone. Recontextualizing those circumstances could allow Zendaya to show her balance of viciousness and warmth, adding new layers to the classic horror character's approach and giving the genre a fresh take. This is something Zendaya does in every film but would work well in horror as the genre's demand for confronting the nuance of fear aligns with Zendaya's ability to create complex characters, driving both her career and the genre forward.

Zendaya's newest movie Challengers is, at the time of writing, currently in theaters.