Zendaya admits she’s «still holding onto a bit of resentment» over her *Dancing with the Stars* loss, calling the experience «highly stressful»
Zendaya is still feeling the sting of her *Dancing with the Stars* loss. Despite finishing as the runner-up on season 16 over a decade ago, the experience left a lasting impression. «I was stressing myself out.
I really went through it on that,» she admitted, recalling the pressure of competing at just 16 years old. Zendaya, who danced with Val Chmerkovskiy, said the live TV aspect was especially nerve-wracking.
Looking back, the *Challengers* star wishes she had taken the competition less seriously. «I wish I’d enjoyed it a little bit more,» she shared with *W Magazine*. «I was stressing myself out. I really went through it on that.»
Zendaya’s loss to Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough still lingers, and as a result, she no longer watches *DWTS*.
Although she steers clear of the ballroom competition, Zendaya does indulge in other reality TV shows, admitting that she has a “guilty pleasure” for *Love Is Blind*. «It’s brutal. I’m like, ‘Dang, you guys know you’re on camera?'» she said.
Zendaya’s thoughts on *DWTS* haven’t softened over the years. In an appearance on *Entertainment Weekly’s Awardist* podcast in October, she revealed she wasn’t a fan of the show before competing.
«I didn’t really watch *Dancing with the Stars* before I was on it. I don’t think I was the target demographic,» she said, adding that her grandmother was a fan.
Reflecting on her time on the show, Zendaya called it «a very stressful experience,» which is why she decided not to watch it after her season.
Zendaya isn’t the only former contestant to express dissatisfaction with the show. Over the past year, others have voiced concerns about its fairness. Danica McKellar, a contestant from season 18, claimed on Cheryl Burke’s podcast that *DWTS* is «a reality show, not a dance competition.»
Antonio Sabáto Jr. echoed similar sentiments, calling the show «rigged» and suggesting that if you don’t have prior dance experience, you’re unlikely to win. He also speculated that the judges often have predetermined favorites, which influences the outcome.
