Zendaya opens up on dealing with pressures of fame while promoting Dune 2 with co-stars in New York City

Zendaya opened up on the pressures of fame while promoting Dune: Part Two over the weekend in New York City.

The 28-year-old actress joined director Denis Villeneuve and co-stars Timothée Chalamet and Austin Butler on Saturday for a conversation moderated by journalist Erik Davis.

A question from the audience drew comparisons between the warnings of the Messianic cult depicted in Dune with the state of celebrity fame in current pop culture, according to an article on Sunday by Deadline.

Chalamet, 28, who portrays Paul Atreides in the Dune films, volunteered to respond first but jokingly told his colleagues, ‘If I start answering, you guys need to answer too though.’

Zendaya plays Chalamet’s love interest Chani in the films and stayed true to her character by saying, ‘I’ll have your back, I gotcha.’

Chalamet spoke about past cult leaders while Zendaya focused on her own experience dealing with being an international celebrity.

‘I feel like, often, I am not cut out for that part of it,’ Zendaya said. ‘I do love my job, I’m so grateful. I love doing the work, I love being on set, I do love moments like this — don’t get me wrong — but I am terrified of that part of it, often.’

Zendaya continued by explaining that she grew up as an introvert.

‘I was a shy kid, always have been, and so this part isn’t natural — that is a huge reason why fashion became important to me because it became like armor to pretend to go out and do the job,’ she said.

‘So I don’t know if I, either, can fully relate, but I definitely understand what you’re saying, and I think that’s what’s terrifying to me,’ Zendaya concluded. ‘I would like to be a person and for people to see me as that first. I don’t necessarily know if I want or can handle all of that or want [that] — some people that’s part of it, they enjoy the power that comes from it, and I don’t know if that’s for me.’

Zendaya and Chalamet then turned to Butler, 33, for his answer, but he said he nothing to add to Zendaya’s response eliciting laughter from the audience and his colleagues.

Oakland, California native Zendaya currently stars in the HBO teen drama series Euphoria and has twice won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work portraying teenage drug addict Ruby ‘Rue’ Bennett.

Zendaya earlier this year starred in the romantic sports drama Challengers and also was a producer of the film.

The 28-year-old actress is shown in a still portraying Dani in Dune: Part Two

Zendaya, shown on Saturday in NYC, promoted the film with the director and co-stars

Timothée Chalamet, shown as Paul Atreides in Dune 2, answered the question about fame first

Tom Holland and Zendaya, shown in December 2021 in New York City, made their relationship official on Instagram in September 2021

Challengers received positive reviews from critics and also resonated with audiences as it earned $94.2 million at the global box office.

Zendaya began her career as a child model and backup dancer and made her TV debut as Rocky Blue in the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up.

She made her feature film debute in 2017 with the superhero film Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Zendaya has been in a relationship with her Spider-Man co-star Tom Holland, 28, which they made official on Instagram in September 2021.,