Before she was a Hollywood A-lister and global fashion icon, Zendaya rose to fame on the Disney Channel.

She learned her craft, appearing in projects like Shake it Up and K.C. Undercover before appearing in huge international hits like Spider-Man,Euphoria, and Dune.

Zendaya’s career could have gone very differently if she landed one specific role she really wanted at Disney.

The Challengers star campaigned to star in Descendants, but despite being desperate for a role, it ended up “not going her way.”

In 2015, Zendaya was still the queen of Disney Channel after finishing up Shake It Up and starring in multiple Disney original films. But when Descendants was in the works, she desperately wanted to appear in it, but never quite landed the role, and that might have changed the trajectory of her whole career.

Zendaya Wanted To Be In Descendants, According To Former Disney Channel Executive

Cornelia Frame, former vice president of casting and talent relations at Disney Channel, revealed in an interview on the “Magical Rewind” podcast that Zendaya auditioned for an undisclosed role in Descendants.

“Zendaya auditioned many times for Descendants, and that was a big deal,” Cornelia explained in the Disney-themed podcast. “I mean, a really big deal that she auditioned over and over.”

“She really wanted it, and it just ended up not going her way.”

The exec revealed that Zendaya “put so much effort and so much work” into the audition, but ultimately, her not being cast was “just one of those things.” This turned out to be one of the best things to happen to Zendaya’s career; if she had been cast in Descendants, she might not have landed the superhero role of a lifetime.

Just months later, Zendaya landed the role of MJ in Spider-Man: Homecoming which helped bring her to international fame and turned her into one of the most successful actresses of her generation. It was also the role where she met Tom Holland, whom she has been in a relationship with for numerous years.

“Now that I think about it, I’m like, ‘Would Spider-Man have happened right at that same time?’ Things happen for a reason, and you do often book this other thing that’s amazing when you don’t get something else,” shared Cornelia.

Descendants premiered in 2015 and followed the teenage children of Disney villains, including Cruella de Vil, Maleficent, Jafar and the Evil Queen. The musical starred Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, China Anne McClain and the late Cameron Boyce. It was a huge hit for Disney, spawning numerous sequels and spin-offs.

How Disney Shaped Zendaya’s Early Career

Zendaya first landed her big break when she joined the cast of the hit Disney Channel TV show Shake It Up, alongside Bella Thorne. The show premiered on November 7, 2010, was viewed by a staggering 6.2 million viewers, and lasted for three seasons. TheGreatest Showman actress also made her film debut thanks to Disney, starring in the network’s 2012 TV movie Frenemies, alongside Bella Thorne.

During a Variety Studio: Actors on Actors interview with Carey Mulligan, Zendaya praised her time at Disney for giving her the tools she needed to succeed in film and TV. Unlike other starlets, Zendaya has never slated her time with the company.

When Carey explained, “You surely can’t think of yourself as a Disney kid now,” Zendaya was quick to announce how proud she was of her roots. “The thing is, I am [a Disney kid],” she said. “And to a degree, I am grateful for that.”

“That’s where I started, and I learned so much from that experience.”

“I’m grateful that it’s just kind of been this slow progression, and I am happy that it’s all been to prove it to myself and not to anybody else, you know? I embrace it a little bit. It’s part of my heritage to a degree.”

Zendaya has also expressed her gratitude to her fan base, which has evolved alongside her as she transitioned from Disney Girl to Hollywood star.

“Many of them have grown with me and have watched me evolve in different parts of my life and career and with that, many of us being around the same age, have similar outlooks on life, similar thoughts or even just hopes and wishes for the future, whether it be for my career or the world,” the singer explained.

Zendaya Didn’t Want To Be A Disney Girl Her Whole Career

Zendaya was technically still a Disney girl when she was cast as Rue in Euphoria. She thanks the show’s creator Sam Levinson for seeing past that well-curated image to cast her as the troubled lead in his HBO teen drama.

” He must have seen something in me. He said that I was on a mood board for Rue … I think there’s something to that kind of faith, and already seeing something in me that I maybe knew was there, but I didn’t ever have the opportunity to explore. I’ve always felt that I could bring things to the table: that I could be creative and free to try things, and put out bad ideas.”

She admitted she put on a good girl act to try and fit in more with the Disney Girl persona. Her co-star Bella Thorne admitted she changed the pitch of her voice in interviews to ensure she fitted in with Disnet’s image. Zendaya’s willingness to change her persona was short-lived.

“Slowly I realized that was stupid. People think I’m cool when I’m Zendaya.”

The star of Malcolm & Marie soon learned how to speak up in Hollywood, even as part of the Disney machine. “A lot of people don’t realize their power,” Zendaya added. “I have so many friends who say yes to everything or feel like they can’t stand up for themselves in a situation … No: You have the power.”

This led to Zendaya being one of the youngest producers in Disney Channel history. She co-produced 43 episodes of K.C. Undercover after meeting with execs as a 16-year-old.