Zendaya, the Gen Z icon, becomes the new face of Rolex

Zendaya, the American star actress (Dune, Challengers, Euphoria, etc.), recently appointed ambassador for jeweler Bvlgari (LVMH), will now represent the king of jewelers. This is a way for the leader in Swiss luxury watchmaking to rejuvenate its audience.

The 29-year-old actress-producer and Emmy Award winner, Zendaya, has been officially named a Rolex Testimonee, the name given by the brand to its panel of ambassadors.

The announcement came on October 1 on social media, coinciding with the update of the Rolex Testimonials list in the successful video campaign “Reach for The Crown,” which was released last February and has since garnered more than 8 million views.

In this new version—still with Ennio Morricone’s “The Ecstasy of Gold” playing in the background — Zendaya rubs shoulders with other celebrities from the world of the arts (including conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, virtuoso Yuja Wang, and directors Martin Scorsese and James Cameron), sports (including golfer Tiger Woods, tennis players Roger Federer, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz, tennis player Coco Gauff, skier Lindsay Vonn, and skipper Hannah Mills), and the planet.

This nomination follows the nomination of actor Leonardo DiCaprio, both celebrities being as much cultural icons as they are committed personalities.

For Rolex, recruiting Zendaya is a win-win situation: it allows the brand to capitalize on the cultural influence of the actress, who has 117 million followers, in the worlds of cinema and fashion, while also reaching Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2010) more effectively. This cohort is expected to account for 30% of luxury sales by 2030, according to a study by consulting firm Altiant.

Rejuvenation and pop culture

Historically linked to sports (golf, tennis, sailing, skiing, motor racing) and high culture (classical music, opera, ballet), Rolex has been a partner of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 2017, distinguishing itself as a key partner of the annual Oscars ceremony.

The arrival of Zendaya has led to a shift in strategy towards pop culture and more mainstream cultural creations. This should make it easier to appeal to members of Generation Z, the cohort to which the young actress belongs.

This appointment follows closely on the heels of Leonardo DiCaprio’s induction last March. The Titanic star is not only a watch enthusiast and one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors (earning $20-25 million per film), he has also been a committed environmentalist since the beginning of his career.

Like him, Zendaya is known for championing causes close to her heart, such as racial justice and mental health awareness. These values echo those championed by Rolex. Young Zendaya has other assets up her sleeve: cultural diversity through her parents (African American on her father’s side), a large blended family, multidisciplinary talent (film, dance, singing, etc.), credibility in fashion and luxury (previously the face of Valentino, Bvlgari, Lancôme, Tommy Hilfiger, Old Navy) and star couple (with Spider-Man star Tom Holland).

From Disney Channel to The Odyssey

A figure in cinema and fashion, Zendaya is on every red carpet and runway, stunning audiences with her clothing styles, including at the MET Gala.

Born in Oakland, California, on September 1, 1996, Zendaya, like many American show business personalities, made her debut on the Disney Channel. She appeared in the TV shows Shake It Up (2010-2013) and Agent KG (2015-2018).

But it was her role as Rue Bennett in the teen series Euphoria, which aired on HBO in 2019, that definitively propelled her into the spotlight. The series earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards, making her the youngest actress to have won this award twice. She has since become a headliner in Hollywood blockbusters and franchises, such as Marvel’s Spider-Man and Denis Villeneuve’s remake of the science fiction film Dune. The actress has also made a name for herself in romantic dramas such as Malcolm & Marie and, more recently, Challengers.

2026 promises to be a busy year for her, with Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey followed by the third installment of Dune, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Shrek 5, and The Drama.

Known for being as dedicated to her work as she is rigorous, Zendaya should be able to “give thanks”—as her first name suggests in the Shona language, a Bantu dialect—to Rolex and promote the discovery of its iconic Daytona and Oyster models to a younger audience. The brand with the crown can afford such a close relationship with Hollywood thanks to its undisputed leadership in the watchmaking sector (32% market share), with €10.5 billion in sales in 2024.