Zendaya Tells Everyone To Chill About Spider-Man Casting Rumors

Zendaya is as self-possessed as any 20-year-old can be. Her casting in Spider-Man drew the ire of the worst people, people that would have you believe that a Black woman can't be Mary Jane, but she's taking it all in stride. In fact, she won't even be Mary Jane, Spider-Man's famous and famously red-headed love interest. She told The Hollywood Reporter that she's not freaking out about the public freakout. "People are going to react over anything. But nothing [about who she is playing] is fact. It's like, you guys are just making shit up at this point and then reacting to it. Whenever we were on set, one of us gets some random character name [on the call sheet]. [Bloggers were] like, 'Oh they must be so and so.' And we just crack up about it, because it's like, 'Whatever you want to think. You'll find out.' It's funny to watch the guessing game." A normal reaction, and a healthy reminder that what people think is going on is not what is really going on. Especially in closed systems like a movie set, the tiniest trickle of information can turn into a torrent of irresponsible speculation. Zendaya has an even better response to those that would limit her ability to play someone like Mary Jane. "But of course there's going to be outrage over that because for some reason some people just aren't ready. I'm like, 'I don't know what America you live in, but from what I see when I walk outside my streets of New York right now, I see lots of diversity and I see the real world and it's beautiful, and that's what should be reflected and that's what is reflected so you're just going to have to get over it.'" Powerful words, especially on a day like today. It's important to remember that the story of America, even when it's written by the electoral college, is also your story. You have the power to change things, even in a small way. So do the best you can. Read the rest of the profile, including how she works out in diamonds, here.