Zendaya and Tom Holland have kept their romance relatively private, but fans know that the two have a long history.
The actors met while working on Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016 and dating rumors quickly followed. However, there wasn’t a direct confirmation of their relationship until July 2021, when they were spotted packing on the PDA in Holland’s car in Los Angeles.
Shortly after the relationship — which had been rumored for years — was confirmed, an insider exclusively told Us Weekly that the Marvel stars’ friendship created a strong foundation for their romantic relationship.
“Zendaya and Tom started off as really great friends and stayed that way for a long while before things turned romantic,” the source revealed, adding they “work really well together because he makes her laugh and she really helps guide him through the world of celebrity.”
The duo “challenge each other and balance each other out,” another source told Us in July 2021.
Scroll down to take a look back at Holland and Zendaya’s romance:
Credit: Courtesy Tom Holland/Instagram
Mid-2016
Spider-Man: Homecoming started filming in June 2016, though Zendaya was officially cast three months prior. The pair met some time during this period with Zendaya making her first appearance on Holland’s Instagram in July 2016.
Credit: Invision/AP/Shutterstock
November 2016
Tom called Zendaya his “mate” as they graced the front of The Hollywood Reporter together, marking the Brit’s first-ever cover shoot.
“Over the moon with my first cover. So grateful that I got to share it with the one and only @zendaya,” he captioned the photo at the time. “Thanks mate for helping me out 👊🏻.”
Credit: Courtesy Lip Sync Battle/YouTube(2)
May 2017
Lip Sync Battle aired the now-iconic episode featuring Holland and Zendaya. The California girl serenaded her British beau with Erykah Badu‘s “Tyrone” and Bruno Mars‘ “24K Magic.” Holland performed Nelly’s “Ride Wit Me,” but fans might not remember those as well as the final song.
The Onward star’s “Singin’ in the Rain”/”Umbrella” mashup went on to become a classic viral hit as the episode highlighted their playful friendship.
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July 2017
Spider-Man: Homecoming hits theaters, showing Zendaya as a cool loner named Michelle while Holland’s Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man. By the end of the film, Michelle tells Peter that her friends call her “MJ,” which Spidey fans know means they’re love interests.
Credit: Invision/AP/Shutterstock
August 2017
Romance rumors swirled around the duo, but the “Rewrite the Stars” singer denied the speculation. “It happens all the time, and of course we expected it,” she told Entertainment Tonight in August 2017. “I mean, it comes with the territory. It comes with the job, so it’s all good.”
She told Variety that month that the Billy Elliot star was “literally one of my best friends.”
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December 2017
Holland and Zendaya enjoyed dinner in New York City with her parents, mom Claire Stoermer and dad Kazembe Ajamu Coleman. “Tom has met Zendaya’s family and they love him,” a source exclusively told Us at the time. “They are still seeing each other. It’s been about a year.”
Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
2018
The two kept a low profile as they filmed their second Spider-Man movie throughout Europe.
Credit: Odette Martin/Shutterstock
July 2019
Peter and MJ got together in Spider-Man: Far From Home, sharing their first onscreen kiss.
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Early 2020
Zendaya spotted kissing Euphoria costar Jacob Elordi in New York City in February 2020, but he was confirmed to be dating Kaia Gerber seven months later. Meanwhile, Holland was linked to Olivia Bolton from 2019 until they split in April 2020.
Credit: Courtesy Tom Holland/Instagram
July 2020
Holland sparked relationship rumors with Nadia Parkes after posting a snap via Instagram in July 2020. The former couple reportedly moved in together during the pandemic.
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February 2021
Holland accidentally gave Zendaya’s Instagram handle a cheeky placement in a social media upload, which sparked romance rumors again.
“You mean, because I tagged Zendaya over my groin in an Instagram post?” Holland quipped to British GQ when asked about relationship speculation.
“That was so funny; it was obviously a mistake,” he explained. “But in all seriousness, it is also incredibly frustrating. It’s very nerve-racking. It means that if you are dating someone, you have to be really conscious of their feelings, because if something does happen between the two of you, it’s not just happening between the two of you, it’s happening in front of the entire world. And it can be very complicated. It’s one of the things I worry about most, of all the things in my career.”
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July 2021
The pair were spotted kissing in a car in Los Angeles, finally offering fans visual confirmation that their romance is not just a rumor.
Credit: Courtesy Sony Pictures Entertainment/YouTube
August 2021
After the PDA photos went public, the Malcolm & Marie star and Holland went to their friend Josh Florez’s wedding together in Simi Valley, California. Photos and videos appeared on social media showing the couple enjoying themselves while dancing and chatting with other guests.
The Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer was released — and fans saw the couple sharing some sweet moments. It looks like Peter and MJ are closer than ever, so the Tomdaya fans will likely be in for a treat.
Credit: Courtesy of Tom Holland/Instagram
September 2021
Holland was in England while Zendaya celebrated her 25th 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day in California, but he shared a sweet tribute for her to wake up to. “My MJ, have the happiest of 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡days. Gimme a call when your [sic] up xxx,” he captioned a mirror selfie they took on the set of a Spider-Man film.
Five hours after Holland’s initial post, his girlfriend commented, “Calling now♥️.”
Credit: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock
October 2021
Holland shared his support for Zendaya’s new film, Dune, by sharing a photo of her on the red carpet at the London premiere. He simply captioned the black and white snap, “Dune 😍.” Zendaya liked the Instagram photo and commented with a pleading eyes emoji.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
November 2021
The Uncharted star paid tribute to his girlfriend via Instagram after she received the honor of Fashion Icon at the 2021 CFDA Awards. “Naaa stop it 😍,” he wrote. “An incredible achievement for the most incredible person.” The Dune actress shared her beau’s GQ cover via Instagram Story on November 17 alongside a heart eyes emoji.
Later that month, while he didn’t mention his flame by name, Holland told Total Film he felt “very happy and in love,” explaining that he prefers to keep his private life out of the spotlight. He even hinted that he’s considered a future outside of Hollywood.
“I might go and be a carpenter for two years, and take a big break, and come back,” he told the magazine. “Or I might not come back. I might go away and get married and have kids, and just disappear for the rest of my life.”
Credit: Courtesy The Graham Norton Show/YouTube
December 2021
While discussing their joint Spider-Man: No Way Home film, the Disney Channel alum revealed what it was like filming the project’s action stunts together despite their height differences.
“There’s a particular stunt where Spider-Man swings us on top of a bridge and he places me there [before] we eventually jump off of, so he’s supposed to gently rest MJ on the bridge and walk away,” Zendaya explained during an appearance on the Graham Norton Show. “Because of our height difference, I would land before him [and] my feet obviously hit the ground before he does.”
Holland, for his part, chimed in before the pair demonstrated their stuntwork: “So Zendaya would land, and I’m the superhero, I’m supposed to look cool. And I would land and my feet would swing from underneath me and then she would catch me.”
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December 2021
The two briefly held hands as they shared a smile during a London photocall for Spider-Man: No Way Home on Sunday, December 5.
During an interview with the Associated Press, Holland referred to Zendaya as “beautiful” while he reflected on the way her “companionship” helped him on his fame journey.
“Like two friends coming together, like, experiencing this world, going through the same problems at the same time, having a shoulder to cry on,” he shared while promoting their joint Marvel project. “It has been a huge thing for the pair of us and with Jacob [Batalon] as well. We really are a family. And you know, becoming famous at the age of 19, but this is a different kind of famous. There’s not a corner of the world that Spider-Man hasn’t touched so it’s a lot to take in so it’s really nice for me to have a family to share that with.”
An insider exclusively told Us that the pair “are in the best place they could be right now” after going public with their relationship — a move that “made them even more strong and confident in their relationship.”
The source added, “They are still in the new love phase and want to spend every moment together, which works out great because they’ve been doing so much shooting, traveling and press together. He adores her and she thinks he is so smart and funny. They seem to be in it for the long haul together, all their friends love them together.”
Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
December 2021
Holland and Zendaya’s Christmas plans don’t include cooking a meal together. Both told Heart radio that they believe they would make the better holiday meal than the other. Zendaya admitted that they are a “bit controlling” in the kitchen, which is why they can never work together on a dish.
“I like to do it my way,” the Smallfoot actress said. “He likes to do it his way so it’s better if just one of us does it.”
Holland noted that his lady love has a rather dangerous streak when it comes to chopping onions. “Every time she cooks, [she] comes millimeters from not chopping her fingers off, [but] her hand off,” he joked.
As they wrapped up the Spider-Man: No Way Home press tour, Zendaya shared a message to her superhero sweetheart one day before the movie hit theaters.
“My Spider-Man, I’m so proud of you,” she wrote via Instagram alongside a throwback photo of her beau in a Spider-Man costume. “Some things never change and good thing ♥️.”
Credit: VICKIE FLORES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
January 2022
“He keeps talking about it. Maybe we can get him in the background of a shot eventually, but he definitely came by [to the set],” the KC Undercover alum told Access Hollywood after her beau previously expressed his desire to appear in an upcoming episode of her acclaimed HBO series. “Listen, we need all the support we can get this season.”
After the interviewer shared a throwback pic of Holland, Zendaya gushed, “I know, that face.”
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February 2022
The duo were spotted holding hands in New York City while heading to a screening for Holland’s movie Uncharted. Zendaya later shared a Boomerang of her movie ticket via her Instagram Story. “Woop woop,” she wrote.
Credit: Michael Simon/startraksphoto.com
February 2022
The Uncharted star and his girlfriend attended a New York Rangers hockey game on February 17, both wearing a personalized jersey with each other’s name.
Credit: Sony/YouTube
March 2022
“Yours is just really good,” Holland gushed about his girlfriend’s first Spider-Man: Homecoming audition in a March 2022 YouTube video with costar Jacob Batalon.
Credit: John Salangsang/Shutterstock
April 2022
“I think it’s great to have that support and love around you, because you need that,” the actress gushed to Entertainment Tonight while attending a For Your Consideration event for Euphoria. “This isn’t an easy job, so it’s good to have that to free you up from it every now and then.”
When asked about Holland’s rumored cameo on her HBO series, Zendaya teased, “Who knows? The world may never know.”
Credit: Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
June 2022
Holland couldn’t hide his approval of his girlfriend’s cover shoot for Vogue Italia. After the Emmy winner shared snaps from the portfolio via Instagram, the Marvel star replied in the comments with three heart eyes emojis.
Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
September 2022
Holland stayed in NYC to continue work on the Crowded Room while Zendaya rocked the Emmys with her mom. After she won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series — her second honor for Euphoria — she told E! News that her “boyfriend” was the first person she texted.
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October 2022
The twosome held hands while taking a tour of the Louvre in Paris.
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November 2022
An insider exclusively told Us that the two were “serious and permanent” ahead of the holidays. “They’re both in settling-down mode and are absolutely planning for a real future together,” the source added at the time.
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February 2023
Zendaya made her red carpet return for the 2023 NAACP Image Awards and stunned in two vintage dresses. The Dune: Part 2 actress posted a photo of her green and black grown via Instagram after the ceremony, and Holland responded to his girlfriend’s look with three heart-eye emojis.
Credit: Kaushal/Ajay/SplashNews.com, 2
April 2023
The duo traveled to Mumbai together for the opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, but they walked the red carpet separately.
Credit: Courtesy of Zendaya/Instagram
June 2023
Zendaya showed Holland some love on his 27th 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day, sharing a picture of him on vacation with her Instagram followers. The Emmy winner added a heart eyes emojis on the snap, which was a solo shot of the English actor standing on a rock as the sunset behind him.
Credit: SplashNews.com
August 2023
Zendaya stressed that she wants her relationship to be low-key — but she can’t live in hiding. “Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public,” she told Elle in a cover story. “I can’t not be a person and live my life and love the person I love. But also, I do have control over what I choose to share. It’s about protecting the peace and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist. You can’t hide. That’s not fun, either. I am navigating it more than ever now.”
Credit: Courtesy of Tom Holland/Instagram
September 2023
Holland picked an adorable photo of Zendaya to celebrate her 27th 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day. “My 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day girl 😍,” he wrote via his Instagram Story alongside a snap of the actress giving a thumbs up in snorkeling gear complete with goggles.
In a subsequent story, he shared a photo captured from behind of Zendaya walking their dogs with her hair flying out behind her. Holland added three heart eye emojis to the picture.
Credit: Getty Images (2)
February 2024
When asked who from the Dune cast has the best “rizz,” Zendaya chose to go off script and give a sweet shoutout to her boyfriend, instead.
“I don’t know. Rizz is short for charisma, right? Everybody’s kind of got their own,” Zendaya told Buzzfeed. “I think someone who has beautiful charisma, not on the Dune cast, but personally works for me, is Mr. Tom Holland.”
She noted that the twosome are different in their personalities, which works for their relationship. “I’m more shy and kind of quiet,” she explained. “So it takes a bit more to pull me out of my shell. But he’s great at just talking to people, getting to know people. He’s just naturally very good at that. I’ve definitely had to pull it out of me a little bit. He’s got that natural gift.”
While Zendaya clearly sees Holland’s swag, he doesn’t necessarily agree. The actor said someone has to fall in love with him for his charm to work. “Probably making a movie with each other — it definitely helps when the characters are falling in love with one another,” he told Buzzfeed in June 2023. “You can sort of blur the lines a little bit.”
Holland added that he has “no need” for charisma since finding Zendaya. “I’m happy and in love,” he said. “I have no rizz whatsoever. I have limited rizz.”
Credit: Cindy Ord/Getty Images
December 2024
Less than two weeks before Christmas, Holland revealed on “The Dish” podcast that he was excited to spend the holidays with “my girlfriend’s family.”
“I think what we’d like to start doing, rather than spending it with each family each year, is bring the families together,” Holland said. “That’s what I think we want to do next time, ’cause we’re both actors, we’re both terrible at organizing things, so it hasn’t happened yet.”
Credit: Getty Images (2)
January 2025
Holland is all for supporting Zendaya at her movie premieres, but he told Men’s Health that he doesn’t typically walk the red carpet with her “because it’s not my moment, it’s her moment.” He explained, “If we go together, it’s about us.”
Days after his comment made headlines, Holland let his girlfriend have her moment when she attended the 2025 Golden Globes in Los Angeles solo. Fans spotted Zendaya’s “T” tattoo — seemingly a nod to the actor — as she posed on the red carpet.
Zendaya also sparked engagement speculation with a diamond ring on her left hand. When asked about the rock by a Los Angeles Times reporter, Zendaya just showed off the ring and “smiled coyly and shrugged her shoulders mysteriously,” per the outlet. TMZ later reported that Holland proposed over the holidays.
