Zendaya opens about controversy over her 'Space Jam 2' character Lola Bunny's appearance
American actor Zendaya has finally addressed the controversy over her Space Jam 2: A New Legacy character Lola Bunny's reworked appearance.
Zendaya shared that she could not be more thankful to have gotten to voice the "iconic" Lola Bunny in Space Jam: A New Legacy, but also admitted that she was a bit "thrown by the controversy over the character's updated look." Speaking with Entertainment Weekly ahead of the film's premiere, the 24-year-old actor said she "didn't know" any backlash would come out of the difference in Lola's appearance compared to her version in the original film.
In the original 1996's Space Jam, Lola is shown wearing a crop top and shorts throughout the film, while the 2021 version sees her don a basketball uniform more looking like a male character.
Addressing the controversy in her Entertainment Weekly interview, Zendaya said, "I understand because she's a lovable character. She's very important, so I get it."
"I was like, listen, just as long as I did what the director [Malcolm D. Lee] and the producers and everybody wanted me to do, I'm just here to offer my services," she added.
The Euphoria Emmy winning actor also said she has always appreciated Lola because she is the only girl on the team, kind of holding it down for the ladies.
"I think in this reimagining of who she is, it just leans into that a little bit more, the fact that she's got these skills and she's an MVP. When we meet here, she's like, 'I'm being a warrior, an Amazon princess, I don't have time for this right now,'" Zendaya explained.
She added, "But she obviously ends up being such a crucial member of the team and really holding them all together. When they're going off on their looney moments, she brings everyone back."
Space Jam: A New Legacy will hit the theatres and HBO Max on Friday, July 16. (ANI)