Casting directors are uncreative and don't really scout talent. They cast who they see, with a checklist in mind. Zendaya is female, mixed-race, and young. If she were one of the Alphabet people, they'd score Bingo and literally cast her in everything (they figuratively already do).
I like Zendaya, but whose bright idea was it to make MJ sort of black... Oh, right, the same pillock, or pillocks that made Ned Leeds, who didn't even go to high school with Peter in the classic comics, Samoan-looking? Actually, though, I'm not that arsed about Ned in comparison, 'cos he's not that prominent, save for working with Peter, Jonah, and Robbie, and being married to Betty Brant. MCU Ned is better. Yeah.
And, I know that Zendaya dyed her hair red, at least, I think, even if it was some streaks here and there, unless it's a Mandela Effect, in Far From Home, but Mary Jane should be portrayed by someone who is either a natural redhead, or can rock that look. Shailene Woodley was gonna be in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. That would've been nice, at least for my biased self, 'cos I'm not all that fussed about Kirsten Dunst. Although, her hair is good in Raimi's first Spider-Man, but that's no surprise, 'cos she's a Germanic blond.
Not as bright red (ginger) as traditional Mary-Jane Watson, but, hey, maybe they could have changed that... if they didn't cut her scenes from the film. More likely, she would've been in TASM 3, but then Andrew Garfield got the sack 'cos he didn't, as far as I know the extent of it, turn up to some event, blah-blah-blah...
And she's not that ugly, but plastic surgery didn't do her any favours, but I've noticed I'm seeing more and more of Megan Fox in things. After being made aware of the fact she voices Nitara in Mortal Kombat 1. And Ronda Rousey's Sonya Blade in MK11 was boring enough.