The actress opened up to ET at the premiere of her new HBO series in Hollywood on Tuesday night.
In Zendaya's new HBO drama Euphoria, the acclaimed actress is going to some dark places as a 17-year-old struggling with vices and demons, and the actress says she's thankful for all the support she's getting.
ET's Katie Krause caught up with the 22-year-old star at the premiere of the new series at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood on Tuesday, and she opened up about the challenging role and how the show has fostered the cast's performances.
"I think we've all had to push ourselves and be vulnerable. It's been hard and there's been fun days and there's been really tough days," she reflected. "I'm so lucky to be working with the people that I'm working with."
She also shared her appreciation for the "warm, safe space they've created on set, to be able to go to those [dark] places. And I'm proud of [our work]."
Rapper Drake serves as one of the show's main executive producers, and it's been reported that he was one of the loudest champions for Zendaya to be cast in the title role. While the actress herself says she's not sure what part he actually played, she was appreciative of his involvement in the new series.
"I don't know if he was involved in the casting, but I will say we're lucky to have someone who believes in the show," she shared with a smile.
The new HBO drama deals with a wide variety of controversial, dark and delicate topics including drug abuse, self-harm, teenage sexuality and emotional trauma. It's a departure from the star's Disney Channel roots -- as has been many of her recent projects, including her stellar role in The Greatest Showman.
However, while Zendaya acknowledges that she's moving to a new chapter in her career, she said she's not trying to completely rebrand herself overnight.
"I've been slowly kind of growing out of that phase of my life and career, but I just take steps," she explained. "There's no rush."
Zendaya's new series, Euphoria, premieres June 16 on HBO.
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