Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, known as Zendaya, is one of the most prominent actresses in Hollywood. The 28-year-old has come a long way from playing Rocky Blue in Disney Channel’s Shake It Up.
Having been in the industry for over a decade, Zendaya is one of the most sought-after artists in Hollywood right now. Time and again, the Emmy Award-winning actress has captivated audiences with her gripping performances and charismatic on-screen presence.
She has been involved in a number of hugely successful projects, such as Euphoria, Challengers, Dune, The Greatest Showman, and Malcolm and Marie, among others. In addition, she has an exciting lineup of upcoming projects on the horizon, including Dune: Messiah, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, Spider-Man 4, and Season 3 of Euphoria.
The actress has been very vocal about how her parents, Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, have been her biggest supporters since the beginning. Zendaya credits them for her success and keeping her grounded as she navigates life in the spotlight.
From her early days as a Disney star to becoming a global fashion and film icon, her family has played a crucial role in shaping who she is today. This article offers a rare glimpse into Zendaya’s family life, exploring the parents and siblings who have been by her side every step of the way.
Claire Stoermer, Zendaya’s Mom
Zendaya’s mom, Claire Stoermer, has been an educator for over two decades. She spent nearly 20 years teaching at Fruitvale Elementary School in Oakland—the same school where Zendaya began her education. Of German and Scottish descent, Stoermer’s career as a teacher played a significant role in shaping Zendaya’s early years.
In a 2016 interview with Teen Vogue, the Euphoria actress reflected on how her mum had gone “above and beyond” to inculcate the importance of education among her students. She shared that the inner-city schools where her mum taught were usually underfunded.
Despite lacking funds and resources, Stoermer was adamant about exposing her students to a more well-rounded, culturally immersive experience as their educator. Zendaya revealed that her mother’s commitment to education inspired her, saying that if she weren’t in entertainment, she would have considered becoming a teacher.
Claire Stoermer encouraged her students to dream big and worked hard to help her daughter achieve her dreams. In a December 2021 episode of Talks With Mama Tina, Stoermer told Tina Knowles-Lawson that she took a job as the house manager at the California Shakespeare Theatre in Orinda to support her daughter’s career in its early days.
Zendaya recounts how the theatre environment impacted her passion for acting. Stoermer mentioned that during that time, the entire family was living paycheck to paycheck but worked tirelessly to support the young actress.
Soon after retiring from her teaching career, Stoermer indulged her passion for rocks and crystals, starting her jewelry line, Kizzmet Jewelry. Zendaya has been spotted promoting her mom’s pieces on her social media platforms.
Zendaya is well-known for her stunning fashion and glamorous looks at red carpet events, award shows, and promotional appearances. However, she consistently champions the importance of embracing one’s natural beauty. In 2019, she told Vanity Fair that she found her mother’s decision not to wear makeup to be incredibly empowering.
Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, Zendaya’s Dad
Like her mother, Zendaya’s father, Kazembe Ajamu Colemanis, was a teacher. As the young actress started making waves in her career, her father quit his job to support his daughter’s dreams.
He is Zendaya’s manager and has been with the actress every step of the way. In a 2017 interview with Glamour, the actress shared details on how her dad became her manager.
Zendaya revealed that the second she revealed that she wanted to pursue a career in acting, her dad dropped everything to make it happen. Her mom stayed in Oakland to hold down the fort, providing for the family by working two jobs, which paid for Zendaya and her father’s trips back and forth during the year she auditioned.
The Dune actress recalls being 13 and working her first job at Disney when she and her dad lived in an apartment in downtown LA. The actress was going through puberty at the time and remembered it being “a weird transitional phase” in her relationship with her dad, who had to step up and help her deal with these pivotal changes.
Zendaya feels extremely fortunate to have had parents who always believed in her abilities. Initially, her dad played the role of a supportive parent, but as her career took off, Coleman took on the responsibility of being her full-time manager.
Zendaya’s father is quite protective of the boys who show interest in her. In a 2016 interview with People, the actress revealed that every boyfriend of hers had to go through her dad for approval.
Now we know that Zendaya’s fiance, Tom Holland, must have felt quite anxious when he sought Kazembe Ajamu Coleman’s blessing.
Who Are Zendaya’s Siblings?
Zendaya is the only child of Coleman and Stoermer, but she has five half-siblings from her father’s previous marriage. She has three older half-sisters: Katianna, Annabella, and Kaylee, along with two older half-brothers, Austin and Julien.
The actress’s half-siblings usually keep a very low profile. However, in a 2015 TIME interview, Zendaya shared that she really looked up to her big sister and credited her for the influence she had on her.
Zendaya has said her older sister made her a better person and taught her the value of growing up in “a big, grounded family.” She shares a close bond with her siblings and is often seen out with her nieces and nephews.
During her interview, which was featured on the cover of the December 2015 issue of Complex, Zendaya opened up about her “squad” and shared that she’s closest to her 20-year-old niece.
The Truth about Zendaya’s Parents’ Divorce
Despite the curiosity surrounding her parents’ relationship, Zendaya has remained notoriously private about their personal lives, rarely addressing details beyond what she chooses to share. The actress’s parents didn’t get married for a long time, but they finally married in 2008 when Zendaya was 12 years old (per TMZ).
Rumors swirled that Claire Stoermer had filed for divorce in 2016 from her husband after eight years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. The same year, Zendaya took to X to put the rumors to rest, saying her parents hadn’t been together for a long time and that it wasn’t obvious to the public since they were “still homies.”
Zendaya Embraces Her Heritage
In a 2015 PSA for the Welcome US nonprofit organization, the actress sat down with her parents, Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu, to discuss her family’s history and cultural heritage (per The Hollywood Reporter).
She reflected on how her name was symbolic of her African roots. Her middle name is the same as her mom’s — French — and was added with an African spelling followed by both her parents’ last names. The actress confessed that her name is literally “a timeline in history.”
Zendaya takes great pride in her African and German roots and has often credited her parents with her success as an actress.
Zendaya’s Parents Keeps Her Grounded Through Fame
Zendaya’s parents have been spotted together at various events and award shows, cheering her on and posting sweet tributes to the actress on their social media handles. When speaking to US Weekly Zendaya revealed that she was always taught to take her education and school very seriously and would even get in serious trouble when her grades dipped.
Zendaya has often credited her parents, Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, for keeping her grounded throughout her rise to fame. During a 2016 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, she expressed gratitude for their influence, saying, “I give it up to them, I give it up to my family.”
As her career has evolved, Zendaya has taken on more daring roles in projects like Euphoria and Challengers. With that shift, her family’s unwavering support has remained—but not without some lighthearted moments. During a December 2024 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, she revealed how they reacted to her NSFW scenes in Challengers, admitting it was amusing to watch them visibly uncomfortable in the theater.
Beyond just awkward movie moments, Zendaya’s parents are also engaged in discussions about her artistic choices. In an April 2024 interview with The New York Times, the actress shared that her mother had mixed feelings about her Challengers character, Tashi and that they even debated the film’s open-ended conclusion.
Despite these occasional differences, Zendaya’s parents remain deeply involved in her journey, attending milestone events and standing by her side as she continues to push creative boundaries.
FAQ
Is Zendaya’s father a Nigerian?
Zendaya’s father, Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, is African-American and has Nigerian ancestry.
What is Zendaya’s ethnicity?
Zendaya is of mixed ethnicity. The actress is African-American with Nigerian ancestry on her father’s side and German and Scottish descent on her mother’s side.
Zendaya’s Family: A Rare Peek At Her Parents And Siblings Bored Panda
