Zendaya sparks backlash for wearing 3,000-year-old earrings to promote The Odyssey as critics slam 'disrespectful' stunt

Published: 15:33 BST, 18 July 2026 | Updated: 01:46 BST, 19 July 2026

Zendaya has sparked backlash for wearing 3,000-year-old earrings during her latest press tour for The Odyssey.

The 29-year-old actress, who played the role of the goddess Athena in Christopher Nolan 's adaptation of Homer's Greek epic, donned the jewelry during a photo call in London earlier this month.

The Iranian 18-karat, yellow gold medallion discs are reportedly dated back to the first millennium B.C., per CNN .

The pieces are attributed to the Ziwiye hoard and were discovered nearly 100 years earlier in the 1940s.

London-based jeweler, Glenn Spiro, designed the earrings which are bordered by diamonds and were later acquired by Barron London.

The 'ancient gold discs are held within a simple, noninvasive claw setting that does not alter or damage the original objects in any way,' Barron London told CNN.

Zendaya, 29, has sparked backlash for wearing 3,000-year-old earrings during her latest press tour for The Odyssey (seen above)

'Cultural heritage rightly inspires important conversations, and we welcome informed dialogue about provenance, preservation and the appreciation of exceptional craftsmanship.'

The jeweler also stated, 'At a time when Iran is frequently viewed through the lens of contemporary events, we hope these earrings can serve as a reminder of the country's enduring artistic, cultural and historical legacy.'

Zendaya, whose stylist is Law Roach, had paired the earrings with a white Jacquemus dress that contained draped material that fell down her back .

Some social media users offered their thoughts on the earrings this week.

One penned, 'Exhausted with the continuous "disrespect" to other Countries,' while another wrote, 'As an archeology student. I HATE THIS. They should be in a museum.'

'While I'm glad they're preserved, Shouldn't ancient artifacts be in a museum? I think these should be in a museum but thats my opinion,' a fan typed.

Over on Reddit, one shared, 'I love zendaya but i don't think 3,000 year old jewelry should be lent out to anyone . Like, that's actually crazy lol.'

Another said, 'Cool but something feels off about wearing an artifact like that. Unless those were commonly found.'

The 'ancient gold discs are held within a simple, noninvasive claw setting that does not alter or damage the original objects in any way,' Barron London told CNN

The actress, whose stylist is Law Roach, donned the jewelry during a photo call in London earlier this month

'As an archeology student. I HATE THIS. They should be in a museum,' one commentator wrote

However, a fan also came to Zendaya's defense by penning, 'This is a non-issue that people need to get over.'

In the comment section of an Instagram post shared by user @northwitch69, one said, 'I love her, but the designer should've been more responsible and not used such as a valuable historical piece as an earring for a movie premiere.

'We should take care of history, even when the historical remains aren't in their original places.'

But another typed, 'Well to be fair, there's only really going to be one team that will have respect for them and that's Zendaya and Law.'

'As an Iranian, I find this whole situation deeply upsetting. This piece is a part of Iran's history and cultural heritage, and it should not be in the hands of anyone other than Iran and its people,' a fan wrote.

'It was taken from Iran and transformed into an earring, while if it had stayed in its homeland, it would have been protected and preserved in a museum.'

Another added, 'Love zendaya but wearing artifacts that were likely looted is not a good look.'

Daily Mail has reached out to reps of Zendaya for comment, but has yet to hear back.

Zendaya has turned heads for her jaw-dropping looks while promoting The Odyssey before the film officially hit theaters on July 17; seen on Tuesday in NYC

Other celebrities have previously sparked backlash when it came to their fashion choice on the red carpet.

Kim Kardashian had notably worn Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress that the late actress had donned in 1962 when singing 'Happy Birthday' to President John F. Kennedy.

The reality star had worn the ensemble while attending the 2022 Met Gala. She later voiced regret over the look during an episode of The Kardashians .

The TV personality recalled having to change once she got to the event to avoid damaging it during travel.

'I can't sit in a car, I can't risk it. It's so fragile, you guys. No one can touch me. So if anyone touches me and gets their oils on the dress... it's too risky to get in the car and leave from the hotel and do it.'

Kardashian added, 'So, all of this - the losing the weight, dying the hair for 30 hours, leaving the hotel in a robe, getting there, changing on the red carpet, just walking to the top of the red carpet, then changing again into a replica of the dress.

'Because we can't risk sitting in it and eating dinner, is all for maybe 10 minutes of my life, just on the red carpet. Like, that's it.'

Earlier this year in January, Margot Robbie opted to wear Elizabeth Taylor's Taj Mahal diamond necklace , which is worth a reported $8 million.

Kim Kardashian famously wore Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress that the late actress had donned in 1962 when singing 'Happy Birthday' to President John F. Kennedy; seen at 2022 Met Gala

Robbie also wore a replica of a 175-year-old bracelet made of the Brontë sisters' locks at the London premiere of Wuthering Heights in February.

Zendaya has recently turned heads for her jaw-dropping looks while promoting The Odyssey before the film officially hit theaters on July 17.

The actress took on the role of the goddess Athena in Nolan's adaptation of Homer's Greek epic, while her husband Tom Holland portrayed the character of Telemachus.