Zendaya reflects on her DWTS Season 16 loss to Kellie Pickler

It's been more than 10 years since then Zendaya Compete for Dancing with the starsbut she is still upset with the final results of her season.

The 28-year-old actress competed in Season 16 of the ABC competition series in 2013. After a high-scoring season, she and her partner, Val Chmerkovskiyeventually lost to Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough.

“Listen, I still feel a little animosity about it,” Zendaya said. In a magazine In an interview published on Friday, January 3. “I felt this loss. “I was only 16, and it was very stressful.”

Competing on live TV every week was something Zendaya told the outlet was “pretty scary,” adding, “I took it seriously, which, in retrospect, I wish I hadn't done. I wish I'd enjoyed it a little bit more and I told myself “Eh, whatever.” You know what I mean? But I was really stressing myself out on this (show).

Zendaya went on to point out that she's not watching these days DWTS Although he is on it. She revealed for the first time in an interview on The Prize Podcast. Last year, he shared it It hasn't been tuned since its off season.

“I didn't watch Dancing with the stars “Since I've been watching it,” she said in October 2024. “I didn't really watch it Dancing with the stars Before I was in Dancing with the stars. I don't think I was the target demographic. My grandmother, like, likes Dancing with the stars. “This is her bag.”

She continued: “I also think it was a very stressful experience. I was like, “I don't think I'm going to watch this anymore.”

Zendaya's discomfort with the results of Season 16 is something she shares with Chmerkovskiy, 38, who has since won the Mirror Three times with former partners. Rumer Willis, Laurie Hernandez and Xochitl Gomez.

“It was my biggest heartbreak Dancing with the starsHonestly, I didn't win with Zendaya. It was very sad for me because she was 16 years old Entertainment tonight In March 2018. “I wanted this to be a big moment for her. She worked hard, and I really wanted her to lift that trophy and start her career. “She didn’t lift the cup and I felt sad about that.”

Fortunately, as Chmerkovskiy said, Zendaya's time is up DWTS “She started her career.” “And that's when you learn that it's not necessarily always about winning or losing, it's really about learning through the process and then using those tools to strengthen yourself down the road,” he added.

Related to: Zendaya doesn't know “how many choices” she had regarding child stardom

Zendaya became famous as a teenager, but now she has mixed feelings about working as a child actress. “I don't know how much choice I had,” the 27-year-old actress told Serena Williams during a chat for Vogue's May cover story, published on Tuesday, April 9. “I have complicated feelings about children and fame (…)

Before that DWTSZendaya is best known for her roles on the Disney Channel Shake it. In the decade that followed, she became one of Hollywood's biggest stars with projects such as Greatest Showman, Unitedthe Sand dunes series and Spider-Man privilege.

Back in 2020, Chmerkovskiy took over Instagram To congratulate Zendaya on becoming Youngest actress To win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series trance (An award she also received in 2022).

“I always knew you were special. Our season is on.” DWTSAnd now your continued success since then has brought me a ridiculous amount of joy,” he captioned a clip from one of their shows. “I'm so proud of you Z! Youngest ever winner of an Emmy Award for a leading role. You're a superstar, always have been! I love you and your family to achieve more victories in your life.