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Zendaya Reflects on Challenges and Triumphs in 2025 W Magazine Cover Feature

Zendaya is the featured star on one of the covers for W magazine‘s Volume 1 issue of 2025, themed around the Best Performances of the year.

In her candid interview, Zendaya shared a personal health scare she encountered during the filming of “Dune: Part Two,” alongside her emotional reflections on her past experiences, including her stint on “Dancing with the Stars” back in 2013.

While filming in the intense heat of Jordan, Zendaya faced a critical moment when she suffered from heatstroke. She recounted her experience, noting, “It was very hot, and the bathrooms were quite far off. I had concerns about how long it would take me to change out of my costume. I limited my water intake out of fear of discomfort and ended up paying the price. One day, not drinking enough led to a heatstroke. I felt awful and even called my mom from the bathroom floor, explaining how terrible I felt. Her first question was whether I had been drinking water, to which I admitted I hadn’t. I thought I was being smart, but it turns out that wasn’t the case. It was a valuable lesson.”

Since her appearance on “Dancing with the Stars,” Zendaya has emerged as a significant figure in Hollywood. However, she reflected on her experience on the show with a sense of unfinished business. Despite her impressive performances, she did not clinch the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.

Zendaya expressed, “To be honest, I still hold onto a bit of resentment about that loss. Losing felt intense, especially at just 16 years old. Performing live each week was incredibly daunting. I took it so seriously—perhaps too seriously. Looking back, I wish I had embraced the moment more and relaxed a bit instead of stressing over the results.”

Her dance background continues to play a role in her acting career, such as her recent portrayal of a tennis player in “Challengers.” She humorously remarked, “I figured if I could manage a foxtrot, I could pick up tennis footwork.”

However, mastering tennis proved to be a challenging endeavor for Zendaya, who admitted to feeling “frustrated” at times as she struggled to pick up the sport. “There were days when I thought I had it figured out, and then other days when I couldn’t even get the ball over the net. Then it struck me that we would film the scenes without real balls; every tennis sequence was meticulously choreographed. I decided it was best to focus on the choreography, something I was more familiar with. I started working closely with my talented tennis double, hoping to learn from her. Although it didn’t convince Serena Williams, who jokingly said, ‘I could tell there were not real balls. But you did alright,’” she shared with a smile.

The dedication Zendaya invested in her role has not gone unnoticed, as her performance in “Challengers” garnered her a nomination for a Golden Globe.

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