Who is Darnell Appling, Zendaya’s assistant and BFF – and rising Hollywood star? The 39-year-old finally got his acting break, appearing in Challengers and in an ad with Roger Federer
- Zendaya and Appling first met on the set of Disney’s K.C. Undercover – now, she describes him as her ‘brother, mother, grandmother, chaperon, guidance counsellor’
- Guests at his ‘Freaknik-themed’ birthday party included his Emmy-winning bestie and her Dune co-star Timothée Chalamet, who had the time of their lives dancing the day away
Zendaya’s personal assistant-turned-bestie, Darnell Appling, is spreading his wings and making his own Hollywood dreams come true.
Appling was also reportedly spotted with the Dune actress out and about in London this month and, on an earlier occasion, with her grandmother. Appling has accompanied the singer-turned-actress to high-profile events like the Met Gala, and the two are virtually inseparable.
Now that Appling, 39, has made his debut as an actor, drawing attention even from viewers unaware of his connection to 27-year-old Zendaya, all eyes are on his next career move. While he has been well known for his striking good looks and penchant for fashion, a new chapter has opened in his life, and he is excited to “stop hiding”, he wrote on Instagram.
Here’s everything we know about the talented scene-stealer who was raised by a single mum.
Darnell Appling has always wanted to act
Appling was born and raised in East Cleveland and went to Shaw High School, per Code M magazine. From a young age, he was inspired by Steve Urkel from the show Family Matters, so much so that he was determined to “one day … act just like Steve Urkel did”, per the publication. However, his journey first began behind the camera.
He was a stand-in for Zendaya
According to an old interview on YouTube, Zendaya first met Appling on the set of Disney’s K.C. Undercover, where he was her stand-in. He developed a close friendship with her mother and slowly became a part of the family. Considering their existing bond, Zendaya looked no further when she was in need of an assistant, and found out that Appling had the experience for it. Zendaya also shared that she liked that he was “a little hood” and figured they’d “get along great”.