All About Zendaya's Parents, Mom Claire Stoermer and Dad Kazembe Ajamu Coleman

Skyler Caruso, Kylie Hemmert, Nicole PomaricoTue, March 3, 2026 at 5:03 PM UTC

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Zendaya Coleman poses with her father Kazembe Ajamu Coleman and mother Claire Stoermer at the Q012 Performance Theater October 17, 2013.Credit: Bill McCay/WireImage -

Zendaya was born to parents Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman in 1996

They were both school teachers until Coleman became his daughter's manager

Stoermer and Kazembe divorced in 2016

Zendaya may be a global superstar, but she's had two fans since birth: her parents!

The actress was born on Sept. 1, 1996, to dad Kazembe Ajamu Coleman and mom Claire Stoermer. She's the only child of Coleman and Stoermer, but has five older stepsiblings from her father's previous marriage, including sisters Katianna, Annabella and Kaylee, and two brothers Austin and Julien.

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 August 2016 after eight years of marriage, Zendaya posted a photo on X 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."

One of her family's homes also served as the setting when Tom Holland proposed to Zendaya in December 2024, according to TMZ. Weeks before their engagement news broke, Holland mentioned that he'd be spending Christmas with his "girlfriend's family" while on the Dish podcast.

More than a year after Holland's proposal, Zendaya's longtime stylist Law Roach claimed that the couple had already tied the knot while he spoke with Access Hollywood on the red carpet at the 2026 Actor Awards. In response, Stoermer shared a clip of the moment on her Instagram Stories, writing, "The laugh..."

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

Stoermer is a teacher

Claire Stoermer (left) and Zendaya attend ELLE's 26th annual Women in Hollywood Celebration Presented by Ralph Lauren and Lexus at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles on Oct. 14, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif.Credit: Michael Kovac/Getty Images

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 November 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!"

Coleman was a teacher before becoming Zendaya's manager

Kazembe Ajamu Coleman (left) and Zendaya celebrating at the 2020 Emmy Awards.Credit: Instagram/kazembeajamu

Like Stoermer, Coleman 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 October 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!"

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Zendaya is the only child of Stoermer and Coleman

Zendaya with her siblings in a family photo posted on Instagram.Credit: Instagram/Zendaya

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 November 2015 interview. "Having such a big, grounded family, I realized as you get older how important that is."

She 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 December 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.' "

They keep her grounded

Zendaya with her parents in 2016Credit: Earl Gibson III/Getty

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), Euphoria (2019-) and the Dune film series.

Amid her success, the Emmy winner has given her mom and dad credit for keeping her grounded.

"I gotta give it up to my parents," Zendaya said during a March 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

Candid photo of Claire Stoermer (left) and Zendaya shared on Instagram on Mother's Day 2018.Credit: Instagram/claire_maree64

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 February 2019.

Stoermer has her own jewelry line

Zendaya at the 'Dune' premiere during the 78th Venice International Film Festival in Italy on Sept. 3, 2021.Credit: David Fisher/Shutterstock

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 in November 2016 in support of her mom's business.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”