Long before the awards and red carpets, there was a mom organizing her entire life so her daughter wouldn’t have to give up an opportunity 🥹
Claire Stoermer worked as a teacher in Oakland, California, and also worked nights at the California Shakespeare Theater. For nearly a year, that income helped cover the constant trips Zendaya took to Los Angeles to audition.
The family didn’t live in luxury, and Claire once said that they often lived paycheck to paycheck, but she kept betting on her daughter’s dream anyway. What’s more, that second job ended up bringing Zendaya closer to acting, because she spent much of her childhood backstage, watching plays and absorbing everything that happened onstage.
Her dad also made important sacrifices and left his job as a teacher to accompany her during a period in Los Angeles, while Claire stayed in Oakland, supporting the household and working.
Zendaya got her big break with Disney when she was still a teenager. By then, Hollywood was just beginning to take notice of her, but her family had already spent years doing everything possible to help her get there ❤️