Anecdotes

Her father is black; his family is from Arkansas. Her mother, who is white, has German, Irish, English, and Scottish ancestry.

Gets her height from her parents. Her father is 6'2 and her mother is even taller at 6'4.

Her name means "giving thanks" in the language of the African Shona tribe.

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.

If she hadn't become an actress, she would've been a teacher like her parents, or a basketball player.

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.

Favorite TV show: New York - Unité spéciale (1999).

Screen-tested for the role of Alita in Alita: Battle Angel (2019).

Favorite singer: Michael Jackson.

Attended Oakland School for the Arts but left to move to Los Angeles when she got the role of "Rocky Blue" on Shake It Up (2010).

Is one of the back-up dancers in the "Sears Arrive" music video, featuring Selena Gomez.

Passed on the role of Storm in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), feeling that the role wasn't big enough. The role then went to other contender Alexandra Shipp--who also replaced Zendaya in the role of Aaliyah in Aaliyah: Destin Brisé (2014).

Has been seen in the Kidz Bop music video "Hot N Cold.".

Originally attached to star as Aaliyah in the Lifetime TV movie Aaliyah: Destin Brisé (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 Aaliyah's family's disapproval of the making of the film not being handled delicately. Negatively received, she also faced massive backlash to her casting from the fans on social media.

She danced with Future Shock Oakland for three years.

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.

Best friends with Hunter Schafer.

Famously wore faux locks with her Vivienne Westwood gown to the Oscars.

Was considered for an undisclosed role in Succession (2018).

Her Astrological Sign is Virgo.