Bella Thorne Reflects on Rivalry with Zendaya During Disney Show
Bella Thorne discussed her relationship with Zendaya during their time on Disney’s Shake It Up.
“I remember when we first met at the mix and matches; I liked her right away,” Thorne, 28, shared on the Wednesday, August 5, episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. She recalled their screen test experience, saying, “I thought our chemistry was amazing; I was aware of how tall she was and how short I am. When they paired us for the screen test, I thought, ‘Oh, OK, they like it.’”
The former child star recognized that she and Zendaya possessed different talents.
“I remember the dancing and freestyle sessions, and I thought, ‘She can dance and I’m not a dancer.’ My mom encouraged me from a young age to improve my skills. I took three dance classes daily for seven months while auditioning during the day and night,” Thorne recounted. “I was determined to make it work.”
Thorne noted that the duo faced competition, saying, “People struggle with two women [leading a show] together. … The patriarchy has been doing this forever. Reflecting back, it’s astonishing they were just kids. What’s wrong with you? You’re an adult.”
According to Thorne, their working relationship hit a rough patch.
“We were meant to portray best friends. And yet it became quite challenging. With families and the rest of the cast, things escalated to a point where, during our Good Luck Charlie crossover, we surprisingly escaped to another set in the midst of a live taping, which was quite daring and rebellious,” she shared.
The costars seized the chance to converse privately about their issues.
“‘Escaped’ is a humorous term. We didn’t exactly escape, but we slipped away. Knowing we had three scenes to go before our turn, we decided, ‘Let’s just talk.’ And we did. We found an unused set on another soundstage and had some time to ourselves,” Thorne explained. “They began searching for us as we lingered a bit too long, but we had a heartfelt conversation, and it was genuinely beautiful.”
She added, “It was my first authentic experience — girl to girl — where we could truly communicate and be heard regarding the challenges we were both facing and the rumors swirling around us. Leaving that discussion, we finally understood each other. It remains one of the most meaningful girl-on-girl talks in my life.”
Shake It Up aired on the Disney Channel from 2010 to 2013, serving as a launchpad for both Thorne and Zendaya’s careers. Over a decade later, Thorne reflected on her experiences with Zendaya during that time.
“One of my favorite moments was the time Zendaya and I connected deeply on the Good Luck Charlie ‘Shake It Up’ episode,” she reminisced in 2024. “We had some prior struggles in our relationship, and eventually found some quiet time for a two-hour heart-to-heart in a secluded set on a different stage.”
Thorne also cherished the time spent with the rest of the cast, including Kenton Duty, Adam Irigoyen, and Roshon Fegan. “Those moments were always so enjoyable, and they were incredibly kind. We definitely formed quite a family,” she reflected.
