Zendaya says ‘Euphoria’, ‘Dune 3’ and ‘The Odyssey’ push nearly burned her out

The actress balanced night shoots, language lessons and international travel while leading several major projects

Zendaya has opened up about the exhausting reality of balancing three massive productions at the same time, revealing that filming Euphoria, Dune: Part Three and The Odyssey left her physically drained during one of the busiest periods of her career.

Speaking in a recent interview with Elle, the actress reflected on the demanding schedule that saw her move between television and blockbuster film sets with barely any time to recover. Zendaya explained that she often found herself memorising dialogue for one project while actively filming another, all while preparing for international travel connected to a third production.

“I was so tired,” the actress admitted while recalling the intense period. Zendaya said she vividly remembered working night shoots for Euphoria at a ranch location while simultaneously learning Chakobsa lines for Dune: Part Three. At the same time, she was also preparing dialogue for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey, which required a quick turnaround trip to Iceland.

The actress explained that the pressure became even more stressful because she was determined not to make mistakes while working with Nolan. Zendaya admitted that despite having fewer lines in The Odyssey, she still felt enormous pressure because of the director’s reputation and the scale of the production.

“The most embarrassing thing in life would be messing up my lines,” she said, before revealing that it happened once during filming.

The 29 year old star is currently navigating one of the busiest years of her career. Alongside Euphoria season three, Zendaya has several major film releases lined up throughout 2026. Earlier this year she appeared in A24’s The Drama, while her upcoming slate includes The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Dune: Part Three.

In The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, Zendaya portrays Athena in the filmmaker’s ambitious adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem. The film is scheduled for release on July 17. Just weeks later, she returns as MJ opposite Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which arrives on July 31.

The actress will also reprise her role as Chani in Dune: Part Three, Denis Villeneuve’s continuation of the acclaimed science fiction franchise based on Frank Herbert’s novels. The film is expected to premiere on December 18.

Zendaya previously hinted that she plans to step away from the spotlight temporarily after such an intense run of projects. Speaking earlier this year, she joked that audiences might become tired of seeing her everywhere due to the number of releases arriving in quick succession.

“I’m going to have to go into hiding for just a little bit,” she previously said.

Despite the exhaustion, Zendaya’s demanding schedule highlights her continued rise as one of Hollywood’s most sought after stars. Her ability to lead prestige television while simultaneously anchoring several major film franchises has further strengthened her reputation as one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile performers.