Sometimes the internet reaches more than a decade into the past and pulls out a perfect reaction meme for the present.
That's what happened with an old red carpet clip of actress Zendaya smiling and laughing at the 2011 premiere of Justin Bieber's concert documentary film Never Say Never, which suddenly resurfaced in 2026 as a widely used reaction GIF and video.
Known as the "Zendaya Laughing" meme, the clip is typically used to represent carefree happiness, awkwardly laughing something off or finding humor in a stressful situation. The footage has also inspired green-screen edits, caption memes and more elaborate variations across X / Twitter and other sites.
So, where did the clip originally come from, and why did it suddenly become a meme 15 years later? Here's what you need to know.
The footage comes from the February 8th, 2011, premiere of the movie Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. Zendaya, who was still early in her career at the time, was filmed posing for photographers on the red carpet while smiling and laughing.
#never
That's what happened with an old red carpet clip of actress Zendaya smiling and laughing at the 2011 premiere of Justin Bieber's concert documentary film Never Say Never, which suddenly resurfaced in 2026 as a widely used reaction GIF and video.
Known as the "Zendaya Laughing" meme, the clip is typically used to represent carefree happiness, awkwardly laughing something off or finding humor in a stressful situation. The footage has also inspired green-screen edits, caption memes and more elaborate variations across X / Twitter and other sites.
So, where did the clip originally come from, and why did it suddenly become a meme 15 years later? Here's what you need to know.
The footage comes from the February 8th, 2011, premiere of the movie Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. Zendaya, who was still early in her career at the time, was filmed posing for photographers on the red carpet while smiling and laughing.
#never
2 days ago
