Zendaya stunned by Zainab’s bold red-carpet look
British content creator Zainab Jiwa is still processing a memorable encounter with Hollywood star Zendaya after the actress appeared stunned by her striking red-carpet outfit at the London premiere of The Odyssey.
The 29-year-old creator attended the highly anticipated premiere wearing a dramatic custom-made gold gown featuring a hood. Her bold appearance quickly caught attention, but the reaction from Zendaya became the highlight of the evening.
According to Zainab, Zendaya noticed her outfit while walking past and appeared visibly surprised.
“She saw me there and her jaw just dropped, so did mine,” Zainab recalled, describing the moment as an unexpected exchange between the two.
The actress reportedly praised the look before continuing on her way. For Zainab, the brief interaction was enough to leave a lasting impression.
“I’m still in shock,” she said, adding that simply having Zendaya notice her outfit was something she never expected.
A video capturing the moment subsequently gained huge attention online, reportedly collecting around 19 million views on TikTok and sending Zainab’s phone into a frenzy.
Zainab has built a growing career by combining her passion for fashion and cinema. She regularly appears at major film premieres, where her outfits are designed around the themes and characters of the projects she is covering.
Her journey began as a hobby, when she started sharing videos about films and fashion on social media. Her content eventually attracted the attention of major studios, with Disney among the first to invite her to interview actors for promotional events.
Since then, she has interviewed several major Hollywood names, including Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal, Tom Hiddleston and Zendaya.
Her distinctive red-carpet style has become a key part of her identity. As a hijab-wearing Muslim creator, Zainab incorporates modest fashion into her premiere looks while ensuring that each outfit remains connected to the film she is covering.
She describes the process as finding ways to “halalify” fashionable looks, turning modesty into a creative element rather than a limitation.
For different premieres, she has experimented with dramatic gowns, customised designs, henna and themed accessories. Her past appearances have included gold-inspired styling for Gladiator II, spiderweb henna for Spider-Man: Brand New Day and a creative red gown inspired by House of the Dragon.
Despite receiving criticism from some social media users over her fashion choices, Zainab says the positive response keeps her motivated.
With hundreds of thousands of followers across TikTok and Instagram, she has become a recognised digital creator on the modern film-premiere circuit.
Yet behind the glamorous red carpets, she says life at home in north-west London remains much more ordinary, with limited storage space and family members often helping her prepare outfits at the last minute.
For Zainab, the growing attention is ultimately about her love for cinema, fashion and connecting with audiences.
