Zendaya Makes History after Winning Emmy for HBO’s ‘Euphoria’

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Zendaya Coleman makes history with her Emmy Award for her role as Rue Bennett in HBO drama series “Euphoria,” beating out actresses Jodie Comer, Sandra Oh, Olivia Colman, Jennifer Aniston and Laura Linney.

Kayla Moshayedi and Emma Haag

Actress, singer and model Zendaya Coleman made Emmy Awards history on Sept. 20 by being the youngest female to win Best Actress in a Drama Series at age 24.

The 72nd annual Emmy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel over Zoom, shocked the world with the rising actress receiving her award for her role in HBO’s hit drama “Euphoria.” Her surprise win against some of the most respected actresses shows immense growth from her Disney acting days to a more serious and sensitive role on “Euphoria.”

“But I just want to say there is hope in the young people out there. I know that our TV show doesn’t always feel like a great example of that, but there is hope in our young people, and I just want to say to all my peers out there doing the work in the streets, ‘I see you, I admire you, I thank you,’” Coleman said in her acceptance speech, while in her living room with her loved ones.

Coleman’s performance playing teen drug addict Rue Bennett may have finally gotten her the Emmy fans have all been waiting for, but it also spotlighted the darkness of the show. It received mixed opinions from fans due to her transition from a Disney star to an HBO drama actress when the pilot episode first aired on June 16, 2019. 

Coleman said she hoped her “Euphoria” fans would not overlap with old Disney ones because of the more inappropriate and mature screenwriting, according to the New York Times. 

I could count so many times in Zendaya’s performance where I said, ‘That deserves an Emmy.’ And now here she is, making history [with] her performance.

— Garance Ha

“I started watching ‘Euphoria’ because I heard from a lot of my friends that Zendaya was the main role in it,” junior Garance Ha said. “As I got deeper in the show, I could count so many times in Zendaya’s performance where I said, ‘That deserves an Emmy.’ And now here she is, making history [with] her performance.”

Film critics thought it was a perfect start for Coleman to receive more serious acting roles, after her appearances in Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise with co-star Tom Holland and in “The Greatest Showman” with Hugh Jackman.

 The second season of “Euphoria” is ready for release in early 2021, and Coleman’s new movie “Dune” is coming to theaters Oct. 1, 2021.