Reality TV stars often gets a bad rap, with the genre carrying a reputation as a marker of a fledgling career. However, reality shows can actually bring a celebrity to a new level of prominence in the public eye, acting as a platform to showcase their talents and charisma.

This is especially the case for the long-running reality competition series Dancing with the Stars. Across all its international versions, the series has helped in the making of some major stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Kim Kardashian, and Zendaya. After appearing on the show as contestants, these celebrities have gone on to considerably larger fame and success in their respective careers.

What season was Zendaya on Dancing with the Stars?

Zendaya was a contestant on season 16 of Dancing with the Stars, which premiered in March 2013. Zendaya, born September 1st, 1996, was only sixteen years old during her time on the show, partnered with professional dancer Valentin ‘Val’ Chmerkovskiy.

Zendaya and Val managed to stay throughout the ten-week competition, scoring a perfect 30 (a ten from all three judges) on six occasions. The duo also came out on top of the leaderboard at an incredible record of eight out of the ten weeks.

During week 10, Zendaya and Val scored the highest on both nights of the final. However, the couple ultimately finished in second place, losing to country singer Kellie Pickler and patner Derek Hough, in what is considered by many fans as one of the biggest robberies of the show.

At the time, the now double-Emmy-winning actress was best known for her work as a child and teen actor, most notably on the Disney Channel series Shake It Up (2010-2013), as lead character Rocky Blue. Zendaya also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Frenemies (2012), alongside Nick Robinson and Shake it Up co-star Bella Thorne.

Through her Disney Channel success, Zendaya also had a music career, with hit singles including “Swag It Out” and “Watch Me” from Shake it Up, alongside Bella Thorne. Her most successful single “Replay” was released around the same time as her Dancing with the Stars appearance.

Despite not winning the show, Zendaya has had the opportunity to showcase the dance skills she learned on Dancing with the Stars in various acting roles, after her time on the show ended. In particular, the hit musical film The Greatest Showman featured multiple choreographed dance numbers, including one with a trapeze.

In Euphoria season 1, Zendaya’s character Rue Bennett ended the season with an imagined musical hallucination, in which Zendaya takes part in an elaborate choreographed number with a group of professional dancers.

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