Zendaya is ringing in her 30s, but before stepping into a new chapter, the actress can look back on an impressive run as she closed out her twenties. Her career began at Disney, where she starred in shows like Shake It Up and (2010 K.C. Undercover, before she transitioned into a Hollywood powerhouse. With a string of incredible performances, Zendaya has built one of the most successful and inspiring careers of her generation.

Over the past decade, she has taken on a wide range of roles to show an unforgettable performance. This year, Zendaya has become one of the highest-grossing actors of 2026, with her films raking in more than $2 billion at the box office. With another movie set to release this year and promising projects lined up for next year, the actress is clearly not slowing down.

And as of September 1, 2026, Zendaya turns 30, making it the perfect time to look back at the films and shows from the last decade that show why she is one of the most versat

Challengers

The Challengers follows Tashi Duncan, married to Art Donaldson, who is struggling with a losing streak. The issue began in the final of a low-level Challenger tournament when Art meets his former best friend Patrick, who is also Tashi’s ex. This brings the three together and forces them to confront their lives, ambitions, desires, and relationships. 

Zendaya played the role of a former tennis prodigy, Tashi, who became a coach after an injury ended her playing career. She showed a powerful performance to portray the ambition and frustrations of her character. While Josh O’Connor stars as Patrick Zweig, Mike Faist appears as Art Donaldson. The movie, directed by Luca Guadagnino, is available to rent on Amazon Prime.

Euphoria

Euphoria is perhaps one of the best shows of Zendaya’s career. The HBO teen drama follows a teenager, Rue Bennett, struggling with addiction as she deals with complicated relationships, grief, and the challenges of growing up. The series also explores the lives of other teenagers, including Nate, Maddy, Cassie and Jules, as they deal with their own struggles, relationships and insecurities.

Zendaya showed a raw and emotionally intense performance as Rue, portraying her battle with addiction and grief. Her performance earned her two Emmy wins for Lead Actress in a Drama Series, making her the youngest two-time winner in the category. Euphoria is available to stream on HBO Max.

Dune: Part One and Two

One of Zendaya’s biggest movie roles arrived in 2021 when she starred in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune. Based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel of the same name, the sci-fi epic follows Paul Atreides and his family as they move to Arrakis. But after Duke Leto’s death, Paul and his mother are forced to flee into the dangerous desert, where they encounter the Fremen.

Zendaya plays a mysterious Fremen woman, Chani, who becomes closely connected to Paul. Zendaya reprised the role in Dune: Part Two. She is also set to return as Chani in Dune: Part Three, which is the final installment of Villeneuve’s trilogy. The film stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, and Stellan Skarsgård. The first two movies were a massive box office hit, and the expectations are higher than ever for the third film. 

The OA

The OA is one of Netflix’s most acclaimed mystery thrillers and has developed a devoted cult following over the years. The series follows a young woman, Prairie Johnson, who mysteriously returns home after a seven-year disappearance. What is intriguing about the actress is that her previously blind eyesight is restored.

The Supernatural mysteries, alternate dimensions, and questions about identity and existence will keep the viewers at the edge of their seats. Although the series was originally envisioned as a five-season story, Netflix canceled it after just two seasons in 2019, leaving its story unfinished on a major cliffhanger. The series stars Brit Marling, Emory Cohen, Phyllis Smith, Scott Wilson and Alice Krige, while Zendaya appears in Season 2 as Fola Uzaki.

Malcolm & Marie

Zendaya’s only Netflix feature film is Malcolm & Marie. The 2021 black-and-white romantic drama was written and directed by Sam Levinson. The film follows filmmaker Malcolm and his girlfriend, Marie, and their conversation on the night of the premiere of his latest movie. The simple night quickly turns tense as the couple confronts unresolved issues, painful revelations, and the cracks in their relationship.

John David Washington played the role of Malcolm, who portrayed the filmmaker’s ego, frustrations, and emotional turmoil, while Zendaya played the role of Marie, showing a layered and deeply vulnerable performance. Her portrayal of a woman confronting her complicated relationship with Malcolm became one of the film’s most praised elements, even as the movie itself received mixed reviews and criticism over the age gap between its leads. These are some of the films from Zendaya’s career that are worth watching.

Which Zendaya performance is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.