Shadowing Practice: Zendaya On Her In-N-Out Order, Last Show Binged & Styling w/ Law Roach | Ask Me Anything | ELLE - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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- My character's supposed to be a tennis pro, and clearly I'm not giving tennis pro, right?
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Yet. Hey, I'm Zendaya, and today I'm going to let "ELLE" ask me anything.
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But before we get started, make sure you check out my cover for "ELLE", out now.
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(mellow music) If I weren't acting, I'd be, I don't know, I think within the industry I would be a director, which is something I hope to do one day.
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And I think outside, I feel like I would have probably followed in the footsteps of my parents and become a teacher.
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I love kids.
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I love learning, and I love teaching.
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I would love to play a villain of sorts.
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Tap into the evil, supervillian vibes.
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Whatever that manifests in.
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I don't think necessarily in a superhero sense, I just mean in like a emotional sense.
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I feel like I usually play the good guy, so I'd like to play the bad guy.
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My earliest memory of performing was there was like a school play I auditioned for.
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I was incredibly shy, so I'm proud of myself for even trying to audition.
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I must've been like seven or eight years old.
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It was "James and the Giant Peach".
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I got a non-speaking role.
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I was the silk worm, which means that I literally laid on the stage and did absolutely nothing, because the silkworm doesn't speak.
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But, you know, I feel very proud of that still to this day.
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So that was my first role.
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You know, listen, no such thing as as small parts.
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A memory I could relive over and over.
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I'm trying to think of ones I can share that aren't as personal, you know what I mean?
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Because some things, you know, they're my memories.
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I like to keep those myself.
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I would say the "Emmy" night that I got to be with my family, and like go through that with everyone in my home was really special.
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I think I was really stressed, so I would like to go through it, but not as myself.
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More as like maybe like the fly on the wall.
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You know, I'd like to watch from an outside perspective what happened, and watch my family all there and react.
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There was just so much love in the room.
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I am the most proud of?
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This is some deep questions, guys.
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Wait a minute, now.
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What am I the most proud of?
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I am proud of myself, in general.
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I think it's important, and it's not a bad thing to like pat yourself on the back and say, "You know what, you did a good job." I think sometimes that's not always an easy thing to do.
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I mean, I struggle with it.
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Sometimes I'm so focused, like, "What's the next thing?" Or being so self-critical that I forget to go, "You know what, actually, dude, you did a good job.
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Like, it's okay." Best industry advice I've ever received.
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I don't know if I've received it so much as I had to learn it over time.
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You can get taken advantage of.
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So I try my best, especially in business, to be involved in the boring conversations and listen to it, and try to like absorb as much as I can so I can really know what's going on.
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The last show I binge watched?
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So, I'm rewatching "Succession" because I started the first season, and then for some reason I stopped.
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And I was like, "Wait a minute, why did I-" I was watching that, and then, I don't know if I got busy or something, but I fell off.
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And so now I'm rewatching it starting from the beginning.
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I'll let you know how it goes.
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No spoilers!
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My favorite look, I can't pick my favorite look.
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That's like picking your favorite child, you know what I mean?
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It's impossible.
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I love clothes, I love playing in them, I love experimenting with them.
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I feel like with every red carpet it's like the development of a new character.
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My fashion icon is Law Roach.
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I mean, we've been working together since I was like 14 years old.
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He's my first one and only stylist.
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When I met him, he owned a vintage store in Chicago.
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I was a 14 year old that, up until that point, had tried to dress myself, and it was tough.
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We immediately connected, and we've grown up so much together.
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It's been an evolution, and we've been able to experiment together, and I've learned so much from him in the process.
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My prized possession?
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It sounds weird calling my dog a possession, but, like, he was a gift to me literally on Christmas, and like, he's the greatest gift.
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I mean, it's my son, you know, it's my child.
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I love him very, very much.
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He's been here all day rocking out with us.
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He brings so much joy, I think, to every set.
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Dogs are the best.
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Favorite memory on set?
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From "Challengers" I think the best part was, I, you know, my fans know this about me, I'm not the hugest fan of having to work out.
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I don't necessarily look forward to it, but I had to because my character's supposed to be a tennis pro, and clearly I'm not giving tennis pro, right?
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Yet. We had an incredible team of people that we got to learn from.
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But I was with Josh and Mike every day, and they were the reason that I was able to smile and laugh through our workout sessions.
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It was a good time.
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I think we all really needed to lean on each other in those moments.
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My favorite comfort meal is In-N-Out.
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And so every time I'm home, I'm always like, I always go get my grilled cheese.
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Because I know people are like, "Wait, aren't you a vegetarian?" Grilled cheese, okay.
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They're bomb, right?
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Grilled cheese, excess spread, grilled onions.
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Thank me later.
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What's on my bucket list?
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To direct one day.
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I would love to direct a film.
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Hopefully just more than one, but, you know, just doing it.
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The first step to actually doing something yourself is not an easy step to take.
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So, hopefully I can get over the fear.
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Normally people would say, like, jumping outta a plane.
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I don't wanna do that.
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My mom wants to do that, and she keeps trying to peer pressure me into doing that.
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But I've told her, "No, no thank you." The story behind my first major splurge was like a very, like, this really cute little tiny Louis Vuitton purse. (giggles) It was my first time being in Paris, and I was doing my first press tour.
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And I was like, "You know what?
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I make a little bit of money now.
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Like, I'm on a Disney show." And, yeah, I still have it to this day, and it's very, very cute.
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Might have to whip it out again, 'cause since the small bags are in, you know?
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Three beauty products I can't live without.
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Hopefully I can live without all of them.
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You gotta have a good SPF, you know.
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Listen, SPF, everyone, every day.
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Wear your SPF, protect your skin.
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Gel nail polish, like, sometimes I do them myself sometimes I get them done.
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And then when you see them and they look like they don't have anything on it, it's a matte clear gel, okay?
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They always get, there's always something, right?
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And clear gloss.
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Clear lip gloss.
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Looks great on everyone, very versatile.
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You can put it over a color, or just by itself.
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Clear gloss.
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Thank you, guys, so much for hanging out with me and "ELLE" today.
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I hope you enjoy "Challengers", and make sure you subscribe to ELLE'S channel so that you can watch more.
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It sounds like we're friends, right?
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Like, me and "ELLE".
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My girl, "ELLE". (giggles) (mellow music)

About This Lesson

In this lesson, learners will engage with the entertaining and insightful interview featuring Zendaya. By watching and shadowing her responses, you will practice conversational English as well as refine your pronunciation and intonation. This exercise not only enhances your English speaking skills but also gives you a glimpse into the life of a prominent figure, allowing you to connect culturally while you practice shadow speech. Expect to develop confidence in expressing thoughts about personal experiences and ambitions, reflecting on the emotional undertones conveyed in spoken language.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Emotional sense - Understanding feelings beyond just words.
  • Pat yourself on the back - A phrase meaning to congratulate oneself.
  • Taken advantage of - To exploit someone’s situation for your own benefit.
  • Binge watch - Watching multiple episodes of a show in one sitting.
  • First role - The initial experience or part performed by an actor.
  • Family memories - Cherished moments spent with loved ones.
  • Industry advice - Recommendations or guidance relevant to a specific profession.

Practice Tips

When shadowing Zendaya's speech, pay attention to her pace and the emotional qualities in her voice. Aim to mimic her intonation, particularly in segments where she shares personal anecdotes, as this will enhance your ability to convey emotions in English. Try utilizing shadowspeaks by repeating key phrases immediately after she says them, allowing for a quick response that builds fluency. Given the friendly and conversational tone of the interview, relax your body and visualize participating in a casual discussion. This approach helps to internalize the language structures she uses while promoting a natural speaking rhythm.

Additionally, consider reflecting on the themes presented in the interview by discussing them with a partner or writing them down. Explore your own thoughts on topics like pride in personal achievements or the importance of family during significant moments. This not only reinforces vocabulary but also expands your speaking practice beyond simple repetition, making it a richer experience of English speaking practice.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.