Zendaya and Tom Holland have been at the center of romance rumors since meeting on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016. For years, the Hollywood costars refrained from confirming or denying their relationship…until some kissing photos did the work for them in 2021.
Here’s everything you need to know about the couple’s relationship timeline, from the rumors that started it all to where they stand now.
2016
Zendaya and Tom Holland met on the set of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. “We are like best friends. She’s so great and amazing,” Holland tells People at the time. “I’m a little worried [about dealing with fame…but] Zendaya is super famous and she’s been through this, and I just call her up and say, ‘How do I manage being famous?’ I’m very glad I have a friend like her.”
2017
Rumors first surface thanks to the chemistry they display during the Spider-Man press tour. Though the celebs deny dating rumors, sources say they are keeping their relationship quiet. “They started seeing each other while they were filming Spider-Man,” a source tells People in July 2017. “They’ve been super careful to keep it private and out of the public eye, but they’ve gone on vacations with each other and try and spend as much time as possible with one another.”
In the same article another source claims they share a sense of humor: “They’re both really ambitious and they challenge each other, but, most importantly, they make each other crack up. They seem to have a really similar sense of humor and love joking around together. They have great banter back and forth.”
That shared sense of humor is eventually utilized to shoot down the dating rumors. “Wait wait…my favorite is when it says we go on vacations together HA! I haven’t been on a vacation in years! hbu @TomHolland1996 ???” Zendaya tweets about her Spider-Man costar, to which Holland responds, “Does the press tour count.”