Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Zendaya Reflects on Stressful 'Dancing with the Stars' Loss at Age 16

The actress reveals lingering feelings about her 2013 second-place finish and the challenges of competing on live television as a teenager.

  • Zendaya, now 28, admitted she still feels some animosity about losing 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 16 in 2013 to Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough.
  • At just 16 years old, she described the experience as highly stressful, citing the pressures of performing live weekly and taking the competition very seriously.
  • In retrospect, Zendaya wishes she had approached the show more lightheartedly and enjoyed the experience rather than stressing herself out.
  • She has not watched the show since her participation, acknowledging that she was never a fan of it before competing and now associates it with the stress she endured.
  • Her partnership with Val Chmerkovskiy was marked by mutual respect, with both emphasizing hard work and perfectionism during their time on the show.
Hero image