- Her name means "giving thanks" in the language of the African Shona tribe.
- Her father is African-American. His family is from Arkansas. Her mother, who is Caucasian, has German, Irish, English, and Scottish ancestry.
- As of 2020, she is the youngest winner of an Emmy in the category Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Just the previous year Jodie Comer had broken Lindsay Wagner's record from 1977.
- Gets her height from her parents. Her father is 6'2 and her mother is even taller at 6'4.
- If she didn't become an actress she would've been a teacher like her parents or a basketball player.
- Screen-tested for the role of Alita in Alita: Battle Angel (2019).
- Favorite TV Show: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999).
- Favorite singer is Michael Jackson.
- Was not originally told what movie she was reading for when auditioning for "Spider-Man: Homecoming", but found out through her agents. It wasn't until the screen test that she found out she was reading for the role of MJ rather than for a background character.
- She had a Giant Schnauzer named Midnight who passed away in October 2015. She now has a Miniature Schnauzer named Noon.
- Attended Oakland School for the Arts but left to move to LA when she got the role of "Rocky Blue" on Shake It Up (2010).
- Passed on the role of Storm in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), feeling the role wasn't a big enough. The role then went to other contender Alexandra Shipp, who also replaced Zendaya as the role of Aaliyah in Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B (2014).
- Is one of the back-up dancers in the Sears Arrive music video, featuring Selena Gomez.
- Has been seen in the Kidz Bop music video "Hot N Cold".
- A Barbie doll was made of the look she wore to the Oscars, but it was not made for public sale as it was originally reported to be.
- Originally attached to star as Aaliyah in the Lifetime TV movie Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B (2014) but ended up dropping out of the project, according to her, due to the lack of production value, complications with the music rights, and it not being handled delicately considering the situation (Aaliyah's family disapproval of the making of the film). Negatively received, she also faced massive backlash from the fans on social media to her casting.
- She danced with Future Shock Oakland for three years.
- Best friends with Hunter Schafer.
- Famously wore faux locs with her Vivienne Westwood gown to the Oscars.
- Her Astrological Sign is Virgo.
- Was considered for an undisclosed role in Succession (2018).
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