Zendaya shares her reaction to winning an Emmy as she graces the cover of Essence

Zendaya shared her thoughts on becoming the youngest women ever to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in an interview published Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Euphoria star showed off her stunning beauty and elegantly made-up face on the cover of Essence. 

The actress stunned in the black-and-white photo, which featured her with stylishly feathered eyebrows, cat-eye makeup and a pearl-studded turban.

On the rise: Zendaya, 24, opened up on Wednesday about becoming the youngest women to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Emmy Awards as she graced the cover of Essence

Zendaya revealed in her interview that she was visibly shaking from nervousness as the evening led up to the Best Actress prize.

‘There’s a video of me that a family friend took while I was waiting, and you can see my leg shaking. In my head I was like, “Dude, just chill out. What will be, will be,”‘ she recalled.

‘I remember taking a deep breath, and then hearing my name, and then my family screamed. I was worried that if they kept screaming for too long, I wouldn’t have any time to actually say anything—but I didn’t want to stop them, because they were having a great time. It was a very special night. I’ll definitely remember that one forever.’

The unabashed celebration from Zendaya and her family and friends was one of the highlights of this year’s socially distanced Emmy’s celebration, which was carried on amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Big night: Zendaya revealed in her interview that she was visibly shaking from nervousness as the evening led up to the Best Actress prize

Big night: Zendaya revealed in her interview that she was visibly shaking from nervousness as the evening led up to the Best Actress prize

Couture: She sported a metallic mini dress in one of the photos from the shoot

Couture: She sported a metallic mini dress in one of the photos from the shoot

Stunning: She looked gorgeous as always

Stunning: She looked gorgeous as always

Nervous: 'There’s a video of me that a family friend took while I was waiting, and you can see my leg shaking. In my head I was like, "Dude, just chill out. What will be, will be,"' she recalled; shown September 20

Nervous: ‘There’s a video of me that a family friend took while I was waiting, and you can see my leg shaking. In my head I was like, “Dude, just chill out. What will be, will be,”‘ she recalled; shown September 20

Party time: The unabashed celebration from Zendaya and her family and friends was one of the highlights of this year's socially distanced Emmy's celebration, which aired amid the pandemic

Party time: The unabashed celebration from Zendaya and her family and friends was one of the highlights of this year’s socially distanced Emmy’s celebration, which aired amid the pandemic

Zendaya also expanded on the belief in the promise of young people that she stated in her acceptance speech.

‘It just feels like a lot of the time, especially for young Black people, you’re birthed into a system that’s not built for you,’ she said.

‘It’s on us to take it from here and hopefully make it better. But it doesn’t really look like that right now — and the people in charge don’t like to listen to us. But it’s important to lean into hope and lean into the beautiful things that I see my peers doing, whether through their activism or through their art.

‘I wanted to speak to the power of that and let them know, what you’re fighting for does mean something, and you are supported and seen,’ the Spider-Man actress continued.

New generation: Zendaya also expanded on the belief in the promise of young people that she stated in her acceptance speech

New generation: Zendaya also expanded on the belief in the promise of young people that she stated in her acceptance speech

Zendaya added that she was ‘honored’ to have the ‘support’ of some of her peers celebrating her Emmy win, including her Euphoria costar Storm Reid and some of the cast of HBO’s Insecure.

She credited the show’s star, Issa Rae, along with Lena Waithe, for opening up ‘opportunities’ for other Black actors and creators.

‘I think it’s definitely changing the idea that there can only be “one at a time,” which is false. I love to see that genuine love and respect for each other’s work. I hope that we continue to expand that in all kinds of beautiful ways, because I think we’re on a really good path,’ she explained.

The actress also shared her experience starring in the film Malcolm & Marie, which she stars in with Tenet’s John David Washington.

Secret project: Earlier this year, she and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson filmed the small film Malcolm & Marie with John David Washington, making it one of the first films made in the pandemic

Secret project: Earlier this year, she and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson filmed the small film Malcolm & Marie with John David Washington, making it one of the first films made in the pandemic

'It was a dream': 'I’ve always wanted to be able to just strip everything away. I love what I do — and like most people, I was finding ways to stay inspired and stay creative, and luckily I know people who are the same way,' she said' shown in January

‘It was a dream’: ‘I’ve always wanted to be able to just strip everything away. I love what I do — and like most people, I was finding ways to stay inspired and stay creative, and luckily I know people who are the same way,’ she said’ shown in January

She and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson teamed up to make the small-scale film during the pandemic, making it one of the earliest productions to get back to work with coronavirus safety measures.

‘It was a dream, because I’ve always wanted to be able to just strip everything away. I love what I do — and like most people, I was finding ways to stay inspired and stay creative, and luckily I know people who are the same way.

‘It was great sitting in a room with John David Washington, Marcell Rév and Sam, literally writing scenes as we went, coming up with ideas as we moved through the characters, and finding new things every day. That was the coolest part. That is why I do this,’ she gushed.

The film, which was acquired by Netflix in October, marks Zendaya’s first time producing one of her projects outside of her Disney Channel series K.C. Undercover and some of her music videos.

‘I love being able to create what I want to see made,’ while expressing interest in directing in the future. 

New role: The Netflix film marks Zendaya's first time producing one of her projects outside of her Disney Channel series K.C. Undercover and her music videos; shown in February

New role: The Netflix film marks Zendaya’s first time producing one of her projects outside of her Disney Channel series K.C. Undercover and her music videos; shown in February

Zendaya is currently filming two stop-gap episodes of Euphoria that will arrive in December, before the second season is is finished next year. 

‘Sam [Levinson] and I talk a lot over the phone, and during one of those conversations he was like, “What if we just did a few little in-between episodes that we could put between the seasons, just to give people something?”’

According to her, the new episodes were expanded from one of her favorite scenes in the scripts for the second season.

‘He basically turned it into one long episode. The storytelling method is so different from the first season. It feels like Euphoria but feels nothing like Euphoria, in a beautiful way. 

She added that she was ‘so excited to be able to get back to it, because I miss playing Rue. Being able to get back into her Chucks definitely was very, very special for me.’ 

Coming soon: Zendaya is filming two stop-gap episodes of Euphoria that will arrive in December, before next year's second season; pictured with Hunter Schafer in Euphoria

Coming soon: Zendaya is filming two stop-gap episodes of Euphoria that will arrive in December, before next year’s second season; pictured with Hunter Schafer in Euphoria

Highlight: According to her, the new episodes were expanded from one of her favorite scenes in the scripts for the second season; still from Euphoria

Highlight: According to her, the new episodes were expanded from one of her favorite scenes in the scripts for the second season; still from Euphoria