Zendaya: Language and Representations blog tasks

1) What was the 2015 Oscar controversy involving Zendaya? 

Happened to appear on the red carpet in a white silk gown, with her hair in dreadlocks. “That hair is swallowing her. I feel like she smells like patchouli oil.”

2) How did Zendaya control the narrative of that controversy?

“There is already harsh criticism of African American hair in society without the help of ignorant people who choose to judge others based on the curl of their hair,” she wrote in an Instagram post the next day. “My wearing my hair in locs on an Oscar red carpet was to showcase them in a positive light, to remind people of color that our hair is good enough. To me locs are a symbol of beauty and strength, almost like a lion’s mane.”

3) What examples are provided of Zendaya using her celebrity to raise issues of race and social justice?

Embedded in her response were all the elements of savvy celebrity-image wrangling that she’s since developed into a fundamental part of her public persona. That’s why, to fully understand why Zendaya has become such a household name in such a short period of time, you have to understand why her response to the 2015 Oscars controversy worked so well.

4) Zendaya insisted on a black family in Disney’s KC Undercover show. How can we link this to the ideas of Paul Gilroy? 

she insisted that her character have a black family. “I was like, ‘If I’m going to do this, this is how it has to be.’ There needs to be a black family on the Disney Channel,” “A lot of people who aren’t people of color can’t quite understand what it’s like to grow up and not see yourself in mainstream media.”

5) Who is Zendaya’s stylist and how did Zendaya use fashion and appearance to develop her celebrity persona? 

Since she was 14 years old, including on that eventful Oscars night, Zendaya has been dressed by stylist Law Roach, and his whimsical, performative aesthetic and dedication to storytelling are unmistakably at work in her wardrobe.

6) How has Zendaya influenced the representation of characters she has played? 

Other black ethic actors feel like they can go for predominantly white roles just like MJ in all the spidermans

7) How did LL Cool J describe Zendaya? 

“She’s cool. You can manufacture fame. You can manufacture publicity. You can manufacture songs. You can’t manufacture cool.”

8) Do you agree with his assessment? Is Zendaya authentically cool or just another manufactured celebrity? 

I personally think she puts on a great persona which can be perceived as cool.

Social media analysis

1) Visit Zendaya's Twitter feed. Analyse her use of tweets - are they promoting her film/TV work, linked to fashion or sponsorship work or more socially or politically oriented? 

Zendaya's Twitter is mainly an update for her life will mostly promoting current and soon releasing films as well as paid advertising from company's that match her aesthetic.

2) Look at Zendaya's Instagram account. She has said this is the one account that is always 100% created by her - can you find any evidence of that in the way posts or images are constructed? 

They all follow the same Instagram format and her fashion aesthetic is clearly highlighted through her posts as they are very flashy while highlighting her face instead of expensive jewellery

3) Watch Zendaya's 73 questions Vogue interview. How is this constructed to create a particular representation of Zendaya? 

The interview was designed to make the audience feel like Zendaya is their is on the same level and wave length as her audience and viewers.

4) Research Zendaya across any other social media accounts - e.g. Facebook. Do you notice any differences in how she represents herself on different platforms? Comment on text, images or tone/content.  

On Facebook she mostly talks about educational problems and highlights her opinons well talking to fans there aswell.

Representations

Go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on Zendaya, social media, feminism and celebrity (MM81 - page 12). Answer the following questions:

1) What the concerns around social media discussed at the start of the article?

That social media that it wreaks havoc on our brains, especially those of young people.

2) What example is provided of Zendaya’s authenticity – or possible lack of authenticity? 

The blue check which is a form of verification on Instagram.

3) What is the one social media app that Zendaya manages entirely herself?

Instagram.

4) What are the issues highlighted by Billie Eilish regarding self-representation and feminism?

Body shaming against women in the media.

5) How authentic do YOU feel Zendaya’s media representation is? Is it the real Zendaya or a media construction designed to look authentic? 

I think her media construction is designed to appeal to younger audiences so i dont think its her authentic persona.