Zendaya [1] has been dominating the screen in recent years, from her award-winning performance [2] in HBO's acclaimed series [3] "Euphoria [4]" to her roles in blockbuster films like "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "Dune." The actor got her start on screen as a teenager in the Disney sitcom "Shake It Up" and has since grown to be one of the most celebrated young actors [5] of the last decade.
Throughout her journey, Zendaya [6] has had an incredible support system over the years, which in part is made up of her parents, Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman. Though the two split up in 2016, they have not only remained friends, but they've also made it a priority to stand behind their daughter [7] no matter what.
Read on to learn more about Zendaya's awesome parents!
Who Is Zendaya’s Mum? Claire Stoermer
Zendaya [8]'s mum, Claire Stoermer, is a teacher. Growing up in Oakland, California, Zendaya [9] admired her mum for being a fiercely dedicated teacher to students from underprivileged backgrounds. Touching on her mum's work, the "Euphoria [10]" actor revealed to Teen Vogue [11] in 2016, "My mom went above and beyond, working constantly to open her students' eyes to an education that could lift them far beyond their current circumstances. She would introduce them to the arts, guide them through the language of Shakespeare, and show them the wonders of nature outside city life — all things that they wouldn't have experienced otherwise."
When Zendaya was a young, aspiring actor, Stoermer stayed in Oakland to work two jobs while Zendaya and her dad drove to and from LA for auditions. She explained to Glamour [12], "I was basically like, 'I want to do this,' and my dad quit his job as a teacher to make it happen. My mom stayed in Oakland because she had two jobs: teaching, and working at the California Shakespeare Theatre at night. Those two jobs paid for all of our car trips back and forth for the year I was auditioning."
Outside of her work as a teacher, Stoermer also has her own jewellery business, Kizzmet Jewellery [13], which specialises in custom-made necklaces using crystals like amethyst, quartz, and more. Zendaya herself has promoted her mum's jewellery, and once wrote on Twitter [14], "So my mom's a dope ass jewellery designer/maker and also slays my line."
Who Is Zendaya’s Dad? Kazembe Ajamu Coleman
Similar to Zendaya [15]'s mum, her dad Kazembe Ajamu Coleman was also a teacher. According to the actor's Glamour interview, Coleman gave up teaching when Zendaya [16] was a teenager to help her with auditions. According to People [17], he has recently worked as a manager for his daughter, though little is known about Coleman's career or private life outside of his relationship with Zendaya.
The "Euphoria [18]" actor revealed that her dad is very protective of her while in attendance at Essence's Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon in 2016, saying (via People [19]), "My dad is going to vet any guy that even looks at me . . . If I decide to have my dad around to make sure dad vets them out and makes sure they are cool, they better go through dad first! You know what I'm saying?"
Pictures of Zendaya With Her Parents
