The Reason Zendaya Fired Her Publicist Will Give You the Confidence to Never Take Any Sh*t

In addition to being a style queen [1] and Beyoncé superfan [2], Zendaya [3] is one of the most eloquent young actresses in Hollywood at the moment. The refreshing take-no-sh*t attitude [4] and genuine sense of humor that we've come to love about the K.C. Undercover actress is on full display in the July issue of Cosmopolitan [5], where she not only slays on the cover but also has some incredibly important things to share with readers. Zendaya [6] touches on everything from her disappointment in the upcoming election to her views on hookup culture, so check out her best quotes here!

On her return to K.C. Undercover as a star and coproducer: "The only way I was going to come back to the Disney Channel was if I was in a position of more power. One thing that is really important to me is diversity on the channel. It's hard as a young person of a different ethnicity or background to look at the TV and not see anyone who looks like you. Representation is very important."
On what she thinks of the current election, and why she refuses to be apathetic: "There's really crazy stuff happening right now, and it's disappointing, sad, and scary. My generation, we really have to step up to the plate and vote. Tweeting is great — people say, 'Oh, I don't want this or that' — but at the end of the day, tweeting isn't a ballot. Just saying that you don't like someone on Twitter is not going to turn a state blue or red. You have to vote."

On her return to K.C. Undercover as a star and coproducer: "The only way I was going to come back to the Disney Channel was if I was in a position of more power. One thing that is really important to me is diversity on the channel. It's hard as a young person of a different ethnicity or background to look at the TV and not see anyone who looks like you. Representation is very important."
On what she thinks of the current election, and why she refuses to be apathetic: "There's really crazy stuff happening right now, and it's disappointing, sad, and scary. My generation, we really have to step up to the plate and vote. Tweeting is great — people say, 'Oh, I don't want this or that' — but at the end of the day, tweeting isn't a ballot. Just saying that you don't like someone on Twitter is not going to turn a state blue or red. You have to vote."

On how she has no tolerance for racial insensitivity: "I didn't like my hair and makeup one time on a photo shoot, and my publicist told me, 'You should just be happy with it — they haven't had a black girl on the cover since forever.' She's no longer my publicist."
On how she feels about hookup culture: "Me, personally? I would much rather be in love and have the full experience with the person I'm doing that with. Everyone deserves to be in love — it's different from when you're with someone you don't really know. But as long as you protect yourself and get tested periodically, then by all means, go ahead and do what you've got to do!"

On how she has no tolerance for racial insensitivity: "I didn't like my hair and makeup one time on a photo shoot, and my publicist told me, 'You should just be happy with it — they haven't had a black girl on the cover since forever.' She's no longer my publicist."
On how she feels about hookup culture: "Me, personally? I would much rather be in love and have the full experience with the person I'm doing that with. Everyone deserves to be in love — it's different from when you're with someone you don't really know. But as long as you protect yourself and get tested periodically, then by all means, go ahead and do what you've got to do!"

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The Reason Zendaya Fired Her Publicist Will Give You the Confidence to Never Take Any Sh*t