Bella Thorne says the early tension between her and Zendaya on Shake It Up did not come from a natural dislike for one another.
Thorne believes people around the young actresses repeatedly encouraged them to view each other as competitors while they played best friends on the Disney Channel series.
During an August 5th appearance on Call Her Daddy, Thorne recalled how the pressure became serious enough that she and Zendaya slipped away from a crossover taping to speak privately.
“We got into it, hashed it out, and it was so beautiful,” Thorne said of the conversation that helped change their relationship.
Thorne Said They Were Pitted Against Each Other as Children
Thorne and Zendaya starred as aspiring dancers CeCe Jones and Rocky Blue on Shake It Up, which ran for three seasons from 2010 to 2013. Thorne said they had strong chemistry from the beginning, but the environment surrounding the show pushed them toward rivalry.
“With women it’s like, ‘We have to make you all beg for one spot,’” she told host Alex Cooper, describing an entertainment-industry culture that encourages women to compete for limited opportunities.
“The patriarchy has been doing it since the beginning of time,” she continued. “You go back and we were 12! What’s wrong with you? We are supposed to be best friends. We play best friends. It got pretty bad.”
They Slipped Away During a Disney Crossover Taping
The turning point came while Thorne and Zendaya were filming a crossover with Good Luck Charlie. Thorne initially said they “escaped” to another set during a live taping, calling the move “ballsy, badass and rebellious.”
She then clarified that they had simply sneaked away between scenes. “We knew we had three scenes until we were up again, and we just went to talk,” she said. The two teenagers compared what they had been hearing, how others had treated them and the pressure each had experienced.
The Conversation Changed How They Saw Each Other
Thorne described the exchange as “one of the most genuine girl-on-girl talks” she had experienced. “It was my first experience, woman to woman, girl to girl, where you actually can speak,” she said. “You can both be heard about the different things you’ve been experiencing and what people are saying and how they’re trying to do this to you.”
She previously said that she and Zendaya were not friends during the show’s first season but became close over the following two seasons after discussing their differences openly. “We were really able to put our cards out on the table and understand each other,” Thorne said in a 2021 interview.
PEOPLE reported that representatives for Thorne and Zendaya were contacted for additional comment. Zendaya had not publicly responded to the interview when the report was published.
Thorne said the private conversation gave both of them a chance to speak honestly and leave with a clearer understanding of what the other had experienced. “You can walk out of there seeing each other,” she said.