Zendaya Opens Up About Wanting to Work With Ryan Coogler and Why It Matters to Her

There are powerhouse collaborations, and then there are the ones that just feel inevitable. Right now, Zendaya and Ryan Cooglerteaming up sits firmly in that second category.

The Spider-Man star recently opened up about her long-standing admiration for the filmmaker, and it sounds like working together is something she’s been manifesting for years.

While appearing on Jennifer Hudson’s podcast, Zendaya didn’t hold back when talking about Coogler and the impact he’s had on her both personally and professionally.

"Oh goodness. You know, I would love to work with Ryan [Coogler] because it's been for years that I felt this way, since Fruitvale Station, because I thought that was such a beautiful and powerful film."

That connection runs deeper than just admiration for his filmmaking. Both Zendaya and Coogler have roots in Oakland, and that shared background clearly adds another layer to how she sees his work.

"But I'm from Oakland too, and I remember when that happened," she continues, referring to the 2009 murder of Oscar Grant, which is the basis of 2014's Fruitvale Station.

“And so he means so much to the world, but he also means so much to us. And I always joke, 'I don't know, but I feel like you're my cousin,' you know what I mean?

“He sounds like my family. His accent is so strong, and so, so Oakland. And he just makes beautiful work, absolutely beautiful work. So talented. So yeah."

It’s easy to see why she feels that way. Coogler’s career has been on another level ever since Fruitvale Station, and he’s continued to build an impressive filmography that includes Black Panther and its sequel.

More recently, his film Sinners made serious waves during awards season, pulling in multiple Oscar wins, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan, who has been a longtime collaborator with the director.

There’s also a pretty interesting overlap already in place. Both Zendaya and Coogler are key players in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Zendaya has become a fan-favorite as MJ in the Spider-Man films, and she’s set to return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day when it hits theaters on July 31.

Meanwhile, Coogler is continuing to expand the Black Panther corner of the MCU with a third installment currently in development. So, the groundwork is kind of already there. The only thing missing is them actually joining forces on the same project.

If that ever happens, it’s hard not to imagine something pretty special coming out of it. Zendaya’s range mixed with Coogler’s storytelling instincts feels like a perfect match.

Whether it ends up being a grounded drama, a big franchise film, or something completely unexpected, it’s one of those collaborations that seems to just make too much sense not to happen.