In a recent revelation, it was disclosed that Zendaya pursued a role in Disney Channel's Descendants with remarkable persistence, auditioning "over and over" for the coveted part. According to People magazine, Cornelia Frame, the former Vice President of Casting and Talent Relations at Disney Channel, shared these details during an episode of the Magical Rewind podcast hosted by Will Friedle and Sabrina Bryan, which was released on July 29. Cornelia Frame, who was closely involved in the casting decisions for the channel, described Zendaya's dedication to landing a role in Descendants as extraordinary.
"Zendaya did audition many times for Descendants, and that was a big deal," Cornelia Frame said. "It was a really big deal. She auditioned over and over and really wanted it. It just ended up not going her way," he added.
Despite her extensive efforts, Zendaya's attempts to join the Descendants franchise did not come to fruition. Cornelia Frame reflected on this with a sense of hindsight, considering the timing of Zendaya's career.
"Now that I think about it, I'm like, 'Would Spider-Man have happened right at that same time?'" Cornelia Frame mused.
"Things happen for a reason, and you do often book this other thing that's amazing when you don't get something else," he added, according to People magazine. Indeed, while Zendaya did not secure a role in Descendants, her career continued to soar.
She went on to star in three Spider-Man films and also became the youngest two-time Emmy Winner in History with 'Euphoria' lead actress win. "She put so much effort and so much work into it, too," Cornelia Frame said, adding, "It's just one of those things."
Descendants, which premiered in 2015, is a popular Disney Channel franchise that explores the lives of the teenage children of iconic Disney villains such as Cruella de Vil, Maleficent, Jafar, and the Evil Queen.
The franchise saw two successful sequels, released in 2017 and 2019, and a spinoff film, Descendants: The Rise of Red, which premiered on Disney+ earlier this month.
The original cast included Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, China Anne McClain, and the late Cameron Boyce. Although Zendaya did not join the 'Descendants' cast, her career trajectory with Disney was equally notable.
She starred as KC Cooper in the Disney Channel series KC Undercover, which premiered in the same year as 'Descendants' and ran for two seasons.
Additionally, Zendaya made her film debut with the Disney Channel's 2012 TV movie <Frenemies, alongside Bella Thorne, marking the beginning of her successful career in the entertainment industry.
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