In 2015, Zendaya was little known to anyone other than the Gen-Z crowd, having made a name for herself on Disney’s Shake It Up.
Yet that year, the fresh-faced teenager achieved a career first when she managed to blag an invite to the Academy Awards, being exposed to the world’s media after ‘sneaking’ on to the red carpet to show off her custom Vivienne Westwood gown.
Little did she know, however, just how much global attention she’d garner after being subject to ridicule on E!’s Fashion Police.
The now defunct show, previously hosted by Joan Rivers before her death in 2014, saw a panel of fashion ‘experts’ – George Kotsiopoulos, Giuliana Rancic and Kelly Osbourne – providing their thoughts on celebrity ensembles, from chic to tragique.
Yet when it came to the critiques of the 2015 Oscars red carpet, Giuliana ignited a global firestorm when she mocked Zendaya’s look, saying the young actress, who had worn her hair in dreadlocks on the night, ‘looks like she smells like patchouli oil or weed’.
The comments immediately prompted a huge backlash, with Giuliana accused of making racist stereotypes, while Zendaya hit back with a public statement in which she condemned the Italian-American presenter’s remarks as ‘outrageously offensive’.
How Zendaya had the last laugh after race row with Giuliana Rancic (right) and an ‘outrageously offensive’ slur saw her career reach dizzying heights
Giuliana ignited a global firestorm when she mocked Zendaya’s look at the 2015 Oscars (pictured) by saying the young actress, who had worn her hair in dreadlocks on the night, ‘looks like she smells like patchouli oil or weed’
This week, 11 years on from the controversy, the scandal has reared its head yet again after Zendaya opted to rewear her Oscars gown.
Zendaya is an avid ‘method’ dresser, so on the promo tour for her new film The Drama about an engaged couple, she is planning to wear ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’ to each event.
Starting with something old, the 29-year-old former child star slipped back into her 2015 look, as she recalled her first Oscars experience.
She said: ‘It was a very important moment for me in my life and my career, but also for my family, my folks.
‘That moment meant a lot to me, so this felt like the right time to bring this one out of the archive. And also, it happened to be a wedding dress.’
Yet as soon as she slipped back into the look, fans couldn’t help but remember the controversy that was sparked 11 years ago, sharing on X/Twitter: ‘I remember this like yesterday. I already was a fan but that’s when I became a Stan. She gave her a nasty read and Giuliana never recovered honestly’;
‘I’ll never forget E! News host Giuliana Rancic saying that about Zendaya! I didn’t really know who Zendaya was at the time but felt protective of her when I realized how young & lovely she was. Girl has done nothing but RISE ever since!’;
‘Giuliana thought she served with that joke but it was offensive and unnecessary. To be honest, I hadn’t heard of Zendaya until that awards show and thought she was gorgeous and she reminded me a little of Lisa Bonet. It only brought more fame for Zendaya and ended GR.’;
‘Zendaya stepping out in archival instead of “brand new runway” will always hit differently… real style is about taste, not timestamps. I just wonder what Giuliana Rancic would have to say about this now! The fact that Zendaya is still here and G isn’t says a lot… haters gonna hate right?! Haha.’
Indeed, in the decade that’s followed since the scandal, Zendaya and Giuliana’s careers have taken very different trajectories.
At the time, Zendaya addressed Giuliana’s controversial comments in an Instagram post, saying in a statement: ‘There is a fine line between what is funny and disrespectful.
‘Someone said something about my hair at the Oscars that left me in awe. Not because I was relishing in rave outfit reviews, but because I was hit with ignorant slurs and pure disrespect.’
She added: ‘To say that an 18-year-old young woman with locs must smell of patchouli oil or “weed” is not only a large stereotype but outrageously offensive.
‘I don’t usually feel the need to respond to negative things but certain remarks cannot go unchecked.’
Giuliana later apologized, tweeting: ‘I’m sorry I offended you and others. I was referring to a bohemian chic look. Had NOTHING to do with race and NEVER would!!!’
She also made an on-air apology, admitting she ‘crossed the line’ and that she had ‘learned a lot about being more aware of cliches and stereotypes, and how much damage they can do’.
As soon as Zendaya slipped back into her 2015 Oscars gown to promote her new film The Drama, fans couldn’t help but remember the controversy that was sparked 11 years ago
E!s Fashion Police saw a panel of fashion experts (L-R) Kelly Osbourne, Joan Rivers, Giuliana and George Kotsiopoulos offer their thoughts on celebrity ensembles, from chic to tragique
Zendaya publicly accepted the apology from Giuliana but went on to criticise the nature of Fashion Police.
‘Body shaming and other hurtful tactics will never get the job done,’ Zendaya said in a statement.
‘Giuliana, I appreciate your apology and I’m glad it was a learning experience for you and for the network. I hope that others negatively affected by her words can also find it in their hearts to accept her apology as well.’
Yet while Giuliana’s apology was accepted by Zendaya, she didn’t receive the same grace from others, and her career soon took a downward spiral.
In the immediate aftermath, Giuliana’s co-host Kelly Osbourne sensationally quit the E! show, telling The Wrap: ‘I will never admit to liking Giuliana because I don’t.
‘I don’t think she’s a good person and I think she’s a liar.’
Giuliana remained on Fashion Police, but five months later she stepped down from her role as co-anchor on E! News, a position she’d held for nearly a decade.
She remained with the network in a scaled-back capacity for three years, only taking back her anchor position in 2018.
It was a real change of pace for the TV star, who first started with E! in 2002 and became a co-anchor in 2005.
Such was her popularity before that she and her The Apprentice winner husband Bill launched their own reality show Giuliana and Bill in 2009, which ran for seven seasons.
Giuliana was also known for working on MTV’s Celebrity Rap Superstar and hosting the Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageants on NBC. She also won Fan Favorite at the 2014 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Yet in recent years, Giuliana has stepped away from the spotlight.
In 2021, Giuliana announced she was leaving E! in order to ‘spend as much time as possible with family,’ and help with the management of RPM Restaurants – a chain of restaurants in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas that she co-owns with her husband.
Her love of presenting hasn’t waned, and she co-hosts Life + Leisure with her husband, a feature series that airs online and on some lifetime networks.
Giuliana’s love of presenting hasn’t waned, and she co-hosts Life + Leisure with her husband Bill, a feature series that airs online and on some lifetime networks
Zendaya became the youngest recipient of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, for her role in Euphoria (pictured with co-star Hunter Schafer)
In contrast, Zendaya has gone from a Disney child star to one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood during the decade since the incident.
Two years after the Oscars scandal, she made her feature film debut as Michelle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Homecoming.
She reprised her role in its sequels Far From Home in 2019 and No Way Home in 2021, both of which grossed over $1billion worldwide.
Zendaya was filming her mainstream blockbusters while still contracted with Disney, telling The Herald Sun she shot the hit 2017 film The Greatest Showman while simultaneously still shooting K.C. Undercover.
Yet in 2010 she managed to shake off her Disney image for good when she landed the lead role in Euphoria, playing a recovering drug addict.
The controversial HBO series was scandalous in its portrayal of teens indulging in drugs, sex and illicit activity but helped catapult its cast, including Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi and Hunter Schafer, to global stardom.
In 2020, at age 24, Zendaya became the youngest recipient of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, for her role in Euphoria, beating out the the likes of Olivia Colman, Jennifer Aniston and Laura Linney.
She scooped the award again in 2022, making her the youngest two-time acting winner.
Zendaya, who is also known for her work in the Dune movie franchise, will star opposite Robert Pattinson in The Drama and she also has a role coming up in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
In 2021, Zendaya reflected on the exchange with Giuliana, saying the aftermath was ‘how change happens’.
Amid the uproar, Mattel had created a Zendaya-inspired Barbie doll, which wore a replica of her ivory dress sported at the Oscars – as well as the same hairstyle.
Commenting on the outcome, Zendaya shared: ‘It made me think, How could I always have a lasting impact on what people saw and associated with people of colour?’
As for Giuliana, she also holds no hard feelings.
Asked about her thoughts on Zendaya in 2019, the mother-of-one described the actress as ‘incredible’.
‘I think it’s always fun to watch people from the beginning and then you see how they grow both in their work and also in every aspect of their career,’ she said.
