It is weird to think about now, but there was a time when Zendaya wasn't the untouchable fashion icon or the two-time Emmy winner we see today. Back in 2013, she was just a sixteen-year-old kid from Disney Channel trying to prove she could hold her own in a ballroom. Most people remember her stint on Dancing with the Stars as a victory lap because she was so clearly the best dancer there. But honestly? She didn't win. She lost.
And if you ask her today, she isn't exactly over it.
The Season 16 Heartbreak
Zendaya joined Season 16 of the show when the series was at its peak of "middle-America" popularity. She was paired with Val Chmerkovskiy. At the time, she was the youngest contestant the show had ever seen. People expected her to be good because of her background on Shake It Up, but what she delivered was actually professional-grade ballroom.
She wasn't just "good for a teenager." She was technically superior to almost everyone who had ever stepped onto that floor.
Despite her dominance, the Mirrorball Trophy went to country singer Kellie Pickler. It’s one of those reality TV moments that still sparks arguments in Reddit threads and YouTube comments a decade later. How does the person with the highest scores lose? Basically, it came down to the "freestyle" round and a massive technical glitch that nobody seems to talk about anymore.
Why the Win Slipped Away
You’ve gotta look at the numbers. Zendaya and Val were pulling 10s like it was nothing. But in the finale, Derek Hough—who was Kellie’s partner—did what Derek does best. He choreographed an emotional, stripped-back contemporary freestyle that made everyone cry. Val and Zendaya went with a high-energy, hip-hop-infused spectacle. It was technically harder. It was cooler. But it didn't pull at the heartstrings of the voters at home.
Then there was the voting disaster. On the night of the finale, there were massive reports of voting lines being down and technical issues with the ABC website. Zendaya’s fanbase, which was mostly comprised of younger fans on social media, couldn't get their votes through. Meanwhile, the traditional TV-watching audience (who loved Kellie Pickler) had no such issues.
"Still Harboring a Little Animosity"
Earlier this year, Zendaya finally got real about the experience in an interview with W Magazine. She didn't hold back. She admitted she’s "still harboring a little animosity" about the loss.
"I felt that loss," she said. "I was only 16 years old, and it was highly stressful."
It’s easy to forget that while we were watching a shiny produced show, a literal child was being put through a meat grinder of live television. She mentioned that she took it way too seriously. She was a perfectionist. Val was a perfectionist. They were practicing until their feet bled, and to lose after all that? Yeah, that’s gonna leave a mark.
She doesn't even watch the show anymore. Honestly, can you blame her? She told Entertainment Weekly that she wasn't even the target demographic for the show before she joined. "My grandma loves Dancing with the Stars, that’s her bag," she joked. But for her, it was just a high-pressure job that ended in a second-place finish she didn't feel she deserved.
The Stats That Don't Lie
If you look back at the scoring, the gap was non-existent.
- Zendaya's average score: 27.3
- Kellie Pickler's average score: 27.4 (barely edged her out because of one specific week).
- Number of perfect scores: Zendaya had seven perfect 30s throughout the season.
The technicality of her Argentine Tango and her Samba was stuff of legend. Even the judges—Len Goodman specifically—noted that she was perhaps the most "natural" talent they had ever seen. But DWTS has always been a popularity contest disguised as a dance competition.
The Silver Lining
If you're a Zendaya fan, you probably realize that losing was actually the best thing for her. Had she won, she might have been pigeonholed as a "reality star" or a "Disney kid" for longer. Instead, she took that work ethic and funneled it into Euphoria, Dune, and Challengers.
Val Chmerkovskiy has since called her one of the most professional partners he’s ever had. He’s gone on record saying she worked harder than some of the adult athletes he’s trained. That season didn't give her a trophy, but it gave her the grit that she clearly uses to run her career today.
What You Should Do Now
If you want to see what the hype was about, you need to go back and watch her Contemporary routine from Week 4 or her Hip Hop from Week 9. They aren't just good; they are masterclasses in how to perform under pressure.
Also, keep an eye on how she handles her current press tours. You can see that same "game face" she had in the ballroom. She doesn't do anything halfway. If you're looking for a deep dive into how she transitioned from that 16-year-old dancer to a powerhouse actress, checking out her recent interviews for Challengers is the best move. It's where she finally starts to peel back the layers on how those early "stressful" years shaped her into the person who now dominates the box office.
The takeaway? Don't stress too much about the "losses" in your life. If Zendaya can lose a reality show and become the biggest star on the planet, you're probably doing just fine.
Actionable Insights:
- Watch the footage: Don't just take the scores at face value; watch the Season 16 finale freestyle side-by-side to see the difference in "technical skill" versus "emotional storytelling."
- Understand the "Valdaya" impact: Notice how Zendaya's partnership with Val Chmerkovskiy set the template for "ringer" contestants in later seasons.
- Follow the career arc: Contrast the "perfectionist" dancer of 2013 with the "calculated" producer/actress of 2026 to see how she learned to manage the stress she talked about.
