Meet Zendaya's Parents! All About Her Mom Claire Stoermer and Dad Kazembe Ajamu Coleman

The Oakland native's mother and father both worked as educators

Zendaya's parents have been the Euphoria star's biggest fans since she was born in Oakland, Calif., on Sept. 1, 1996.

When they aren't accompanying Zendaya on set or supporting her at events (including the 2020 Emmy Awards when she took home her first win), her mom Claire Stoermer and dad Kazembe Ajamu Coleman have cheered their daughter on from afar, posting sweet tributes to her on Instagram.

Although Zendaya has a tight relationship with both of her parents, she keeps personal family matters private. Following reports her mother filed for divorce in 2016 after eight years of marriage, Zendaya posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) with her mom and dad, writing, "My parents ain't been together for a long time, y'all didn't know cause we private+they still homies #lateassnews."

So, who are Zendaya's parents? Here's everything to know about Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman.

Related: Zendaya Celebrates Her 28th Birthday with Cute Throwback

Stoermer is a teacher

Aside from being Zendaya's mom, Stoermer is also a school teacher. Because of this, the actress always had an extra appreciation for education. When she was young, she often looked up to her mom as a role model due to her passion for helping others.

"Growing up, I watched my mom teach in the heart of Oakland, Calif., at inner-city schools that were always underfunded," Zendaya told Teen Vogue in 2016. "My mom went above and beyond, working constantly to open her students' eyes to an education that could lift them far beyond their current circumstances."

Zendaya continued, "She would introduce them to the arts, guide them through the language of Shakespeare, and show them the wonders of nature outside city life — all things that they wouldn't have experienced otherwise."

The Challengers star also noted that if she weren't an actress, she'd be "a teacher in a heartbeat — guaranteed!"

Kazembe was a teacher before becoming Zendaya's manager

Like Stoermer, Kazembe was also a teacher but has worked with Zendaya as a manager in recent years. Given her parents' professions, the actress told Us Weekly in 2014 that she "always had to take school very seriously" growing up.

She also shared that "in 2nd grade [she] failed some spelling tests and got in a lot of trouble!"

Related: Zendaya and Tom Holland Rock Matching White Tanks Tops for Low-Key Day Date (Exclusive)

They keep her grounded

Zendaya first turned heads when she starred as Rocky Blue on the Disney Channel series Shake It Up in 2010 before landing the titular role on the Disney sitcom K.C. Undercover, where she played a teen spy from 2015 to 2018. Since making a name for herself on the small screen, she has landed several major movie and TV gigs through the years, including MCU's Spider-Man franchise, The Greatest Showman (2017), Malcolm & Marie (2021) and the Dune film series.

Amid the prestigious awards received and critical acclaim amassed, the Emmy winner has remained humble throughout her success and attributed her mom and dad for keeping her grounded.

"I gotta give it up to my parents," Zendaya said during a 2016 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. "I'm really lucky to have the parents that I have. They just have always instilled in me those core values that I think I have to carry with me through everything. I give it up to them, I give it up to my family."

Zendaya embraces natural beauty, thanks to her mom

While Zendaya has gotten glammed up for award shows, red carpets and photoshoots, she is a huge advocate for embracing her natural beauty, something she has credited her mom for.

"My beauty icons are the women in my life. My mom didn't wear makeup; I don't think she knew that to me, it was empowering that she didn't care," Zendaya told Vanity Fair in 2019.

However, when they indulge in glam, they have fun in the process!

Related: Law Roach: Picking a Favorite Zendaya Look Is 'Like Calling Out Your Favorite Child' (Exclusive)

Stoermer has her own jewelry line

Zendaya's mom also has her own jewelry line, Kizzmet Jewelry, made from crystals such as amethysts, hematites and chrysocollas.

In addition to donning her mom's designs, Zendaya has also posted about her work online.

"So my mom's a dope ass jewelry designer/maker and also slays my line," the actress shared on X (formerly Twitter) in 2016 in support of her mom's business.

Zendaya is the only child of Stoermer and Kazembe

Zendaya is the only child her parents share, but she has five older stepsiblings from her father's previous marriage. She has three older sisters, Katianna, Annabella and Kaylee, and two older brothers, Austin and Julien.

"I look up to my big sister and realize the influence she's had on me and making me a better person," Zendaya told TIME in a 2015 interview. "Having such a big, grounded family, I realized as you get older how important that is."

She also revealed to Complex that she's an aunt as well.

"Honestly, I think about my little nieces and my little nephews first," she told the outlet in 2015. "Because one day they're going to have Twitter and they're going to have Instagram, and I'm going to be like, 'This is how you handle it, kids.' "

Related: Marisa Tomei Reflects on Watching 'Spider-Man' Costars Tom Holland and Zendaya 'Fall in Love'

Kazembe is very protective of his daughter

As the youngest of a big family, Zendaya admitted that her dad is very protective of her when it comes to her love life.

"My dad is going to vet any guy that even looks at me," Zendaya said while attending Essence's Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon in 2016 (via PEOPLE).

She added, "If I decide to have my dad around to make sure dad vets them out and makes sure they are cool, they better go through dad first!"

It's fair to assume the actress sought her father's wisdom and approval when she started dating her former Spider-Man costar, Tom Holland, in 2021. Though Zendaya and Holland have kept their relationship relatively private, a source told PEOPLE in 2024 that "there has been talk of marriage" between the couple.

Related: Zendaya and Tom Holland's Relationship Timeline

They were not prepared for Zendaya's spicy scenes in Challengers

During a 2024 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Zendaya told host Jimmy Kimmel that she found her family's reaction to the sexy scenes in the film Challengers "hilarious."

"Well, they know it's a Rated-R movie, okay, so I was like, you know, walking into this, 'If you can't handle the heat, get out the kitchen,' " said the actress, who also served as producer. "But I forewarned them. It was honestly my favorite part of the night. 'Cause I've seen the movie many times."

She added, "I know when the scenes are coming so when those scenes were happening, I just was watching my family because they were behind me, so I just watched them the whole time; it was hilarious."

Related: Challengers Review: Zendaya Stars in a Sensational, Sexy Comedy About Love and Tennis

Zendaya and her mother also disagreed on Challengers' ending, adding to the discourse surrounding the psychological drama's open conclusion.

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