Zendaya’s honest confession DWTS loss

Zendaya has recently opened up about her 2013 Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) experience and the emotional impact of finishing as a runner-up during season 16. In an honest reflection shared in a W Magazine interview, the 28-year-old Euphoria star revealed that the experience was more intense than she expected, admitting that she took the competition too seriously at the time.

“I took it very seriously, which, in retrospect, I wish I didn’t,” Zendaya confessed. The young star, who was only 16 years old at the time, explained how the pressure of being on live television every week left her feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Despite impressing judges and viewers alike with her performances alongside professional dancer Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Zendaya still struggled with the intensity of the competition. “I wish I’d enjoyed it a little bit more and just was like, ‘Eh, whatever.’ You know what I mean?” she said, adding that she sometimes regretted not having more fun with the experience.

Zendaya’s candid remarks shed light on the emotional toll that competing on a high-profile show like DWTS can take. “I was stressing myself out. I really went through it on that,” she revealed. Despite her remarkable skill, she had to settle for second place behind NFL wide receiver Jacoby Jones and his partner Karina Smirnoff. Reflecting on her loss, Zendaya admitted, “Listen, I’m still harboring a little animosity about that. I felt that loss.”

Looking back at the experience, Zendaya revealed how challenging it was to handle such a high-stakes, public competition at such a young age. “It was highly stressful,” she recalled. “Being on live television every week? It’s so scary.” The level of exposure and the intensity of the DWTS competition pushed her to her limits, but it also became a defining moment in her career.

Interestingly, Zendaya also shared that she didn’t continue watching Dancing with the Stars after her time on the show. Despite her success and the enormous platform it provided, the actress admitted that the stressful nature of the competition led her to step away from the show once her season ended. “I didn’t really watch ‘Dancing with the Stars’ before I was on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’” Zendaya said. She further explained that her grandmother was more into the show than she was, noting, “My grandma loves Dancing with the Stars, that’s her bag.”

Zendaya’s reflections on her DWTS loss highlight a vulnerable side to the Challengers star that many fans might not be familiar with. Even though she faced challenges, this experience clearly helped shape her journey in Hollywood and beyond.

Zendaya’s honesty about her DWTS journey shows her growth as both an actress and a person, and it’s clear that she’s come a long way since that pivotal moment in her career. Despite her youthful frustration over the loss, Zendaya’s ability to speak candidly about the experience adds another layer to her already impressive personality.

The insights into her DWTS experience and the pressure she felt at such a young age serve as a reminder of how much she’s overcome on her path to stardom. Stay tuned to see what Zendaya does next in her already successful career!