Zendaya has admitted it's a "heavy responsibility" being a young black woman in Hollywood.

Zendaya

Zendaya

The 'Greatest Showman' actress - who is biracial - has opened up about the pressure placed on her shoulders as a role model and how she intends to use her platform and influence to do "a lot of good".

The 23-year-old star insisted following the recent Black Lives Matter protests - which were sparked following the death of unarmed African American man George Floyd - she feels "now more than ever" that she has an "obligation" to ensure she is "aware" and sending the correct message with everything she does.

She explained: "I have a heavy responsibility on my shoulders, but I'm appreciative ... because with that there's a lot of good that I can do and I know who is watching.

"Now more than ever, specifically with Black Lives Matter and everything, I feel an obligation to make sure that I'm aware and putting out the right things and in line with organisers and people who are on the ground."

Zendaya also admitted that she "constantly" fears making mistakes.

She continued: "It's a constant thing.

"Being a young Disney actor, that's one level, being a young Black woman is one level, and then being very hard on myself is another level. It's also just a personal fear."

Whilst shooting HBO's 'Euphoria' - in which she plays teenage drug addict Rue Bennett - Zendaya's fears dispersed, but they reappeared once the series hit screens.

However, the fear only makes her more determined to "work harder" and hone her craft.

She added to The Hollywood Reporter: "There's something that happens when a special character comes along ... and those fears melt away.

"They don't come back until it starts airing, which is when I started to get a little scared again.

"But now I'm excited to go back because the motivation is to work harder and become a better actress. I just want to get better."


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