Warner Bros. frames the category shift as a natural evolution of Chani’s expanded narrative importance in the trilogy's final chapter, highlighting Zendaya's central role in the story's climax.
Insiders suggest this is a calculated gamble to boost visibility after a year of massive box office hits, aiming to secure Zendaya's first-ever Oscar nomination by leveraging her star power over supporting category competition.
1. Variety confirms Zendaya will campaign for Best Actress for 'Dune: Part Three,' released Dec. 18. 2. She previously campaigned in Supporting Actress for the first two 'Dune' films. 3. She has 0 Oscar nominations to date, despite two Emmys for 'Euphoria'.
Zendaya is playing the long game. By switching to lead for 'Dune 3,' she’s betting her massive commercial success can translate into critical hardware, finally breaking her Oscar drought.
In a move that signals a serious escalation in Hollywood’s most watched awards race, Zendaya is officially pivoting to the Lead Actress category for her portrayal of Chani in "Dune: Part Three." Multiple sources close to the campaign confirm that the 30-year-old star will no longer be positioned in Supporting Actress, a category she occupied for the first two installments of Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic. This strategic shift underscores the studio’s confidence in Chani’s expanded role in the final chapter, where she stands at the heart of a sweeping conspiracy that threatens Paul Atreides’ reign.
The decision comes on the heels of an unprecedented year for Zendaya, who has managed to dominate the box office while simultaneously diversifying her portfolio. She opened 2026 starring as Emma Harwood in the dark romantic comedy "The Drama," directed by Kristoffer Borgli. That performance, opposite Robert Pattinson, is also being submitted in the lead category.
She followed this with a supporting turn as Athena in Christopher Nolan’s billion-dollar adaptation of "The Odyssey," where she is vying for recognition alongside heavyweights like Anne Hathaway and Charlize Theron. The sheer volume of high-profile submissions suggests a coordinated effort to maximize her visibility across all major acting categories. Beyond the awards circuit, Zendaya’s commercial dominance is undeniable.
She reprised her role as MJ in Destin Daniel Cretton’s "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," which has already cemented its place among the highest-grossing films of all time. Despite this massive cultural footprint and her prior accolades—including two Emmys for "Euphoria" and a Golden Globe—Zendaya has notably never received an Oscar nomination. The campaign for "Dune: Part Three" is widely seen as her strongest shot yet to correct that oversight, leveraging the franchise’s prestige and her own star power to finally crack the Academy’s code.
Warner Bros. is set to release "Dune: Part Three" in theaters and Imax on December 18, placing it squarely in the thick of the awards season frenzy. The film features a stacked cast including Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Charlotte Rampling, and Isaach de Bankolé. While Warner Bros. and Zendaya’s representatives declined to comment on the category change, the timing and scale of her 2026 output paint a clear picture: Zendaya is no longer content with being a supporting player. She is demanding the lead, both on screen and in the awards conversation.
