Zendaya’s 2021 BET Awards Dress Was an Homage to Beyoncé

At the 2021 BET Awards on June 27, legend-in-the-making Zendaya wore an outfit that honored the one and only Beyoncé. The young star dressed in a purple Versace gown that’s essentially the red carpet equivalent of the mini-dress Bey wore during her BET Awards performance 18 years ago.  

Zendaya’s look came courtesy of her stylist, Law Roach, who posted a video of the Emmy winner strutting in slow-motion to his Instagram. He wrote, “Paying homage to the Queen Beyoncé wearing @versace SS2003 ….. get you a stylist with an ARCHIVE!!!!” Okay, yes! But also, get me a stylist in general.

The comments on the post were filled with praise for the look, including from Zendaya’s Euphoria costar Hunter Schaefer, who wrote, “I’m dead.” Actor Tracee Ellis Ross, meanwhile, commented, “🔥🔥🔥🔥 as per usual!!!! Yessss!!!!!” On one of Zendaya’s own posts, actor Storm Reid mused, “I wonder what it feels like to be God’s favorite,” and that’s truly the question on my mind as well.

In another post, Roach revealed the look was completed by a pair of Stuart Weitzman shoes and Bulgari yellow diamonds. 

Shall we revisit the iconic BET Awards performance Bey gave in the short, pleated version of this dress? In 2003 she and her husband, Jay-Z, performed “Crazy in Love,” the first single off her debut album, Dangerously in Love. Both the song and the album reached number one on Billboard.

Side note: Can you believe Bey was only, like, 21 during this? So talented, I can’t.

We know Zendaya has been a member of the Bey Hive for years. In a conversation with Yara Shahidi in 2017, the Malcolm & Marie star praised the singer, saying, “Beyoncé. She took it to the next level with Lemonade. She’s got twins, and she’s banging. She’s killing it.” Hot take? You both are! Please duet!