Unsurprisingly, some of the longest-lasting and healthiest relationships in Hollywood are those that the world knows the least about. Some celebrities are comfortable sharing private details with fans in interviews and on social media, but Spider-Man co-stars Zendaya and Tom Holland have long known the importance of maintaining boundaries between their personal bond and careers in the public eye. The duo has been linked as far back as 2017, but it wasn’t until 2021 that they became official. In the years since, Z and TH have been endlessly supportive of each other’s work and have even reportedly been planning for a serious future together that could involve marriage.
Despite being one of the most famous names to come from Disney Channel, and almost always the best-dressed on any red carpet, Zendaya has admitted past betrayal left her averse to finding love. “I’m so anti being in a committed relationship when you’re young and people are learning and growing, because when people are young, they make bad decisions sometimes because they don’t know any better,” she shared back in 2017, per Page Six. “It doesn’t mean they don’t know the difference between right and wrong – it just means that they’re still in the experimental phase in their life where they haven’t made the right decisions yet…it’s very hard to be in a relationship when the both of you are still figuring out life. You cannot change anybody. You cannot make someone grow up faster than they’re supposed to.”
Thankfully, growing together with a partner like Holland has helped the Euphoria actress heal some of those wounds in favor of embracing love. Keep reading for everything you need to know about Zendaya’s romantic past, from Trevor Jackson and Jacob Elordi to settling down with her very own superhero.
Zendaya and Trevor Jackson Were Linked After She Appeared in His 2013 Music Video
In the earlier years of her career, Zendaya appeared as the muse in Jackson’s “Like We Grown” music video, and he returned the favor by joining her in the pilot episode of her K.C. Undercover series. Despite the rumors about a relationship, both claimed to be just friends in a Hollywood Life interview. “We laugh every time we hear it. I can understand why people think that because we are really close. But, no she’s just my friend,” Jackson said in 2014.
After ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Arrived in 2017, Fans Shipped Z and Tom Holland
When Spider-Man: Homecoming premiered in mid-2017, it was a no-brainer for viewers to ship Peter Parker and MJ in real life after witnessing their playful chemistry on and off-screen. “They started seeing each other while they were filming,” a source told People in July. “hey’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.” Another insider told the outlet, “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.”
However, Holland seemed insistent that things were strictly platonic in his conversation with People. “We are like the best of friends. She’s so great and amazing. 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.” The British star later addressed the dating rumors with Zendaya in a cute Twitter exchange. She wrote, “Wait wait… My favorite is when it says we go on vacation together HA! I haven’t been on a vacation in years! Hbu @TomHolland1996?” To which he responded, “@Zendaya, Does the press tour count?”
Actress Spent Thanksgiving 2019 in Australia With Her ‘Euphoria’ Co-Star Jacob Elordi
In June 2019, Holland confirmed that he’s single in an Elle interview, noting that he considers himself to be “a relationship person.” Holland added, “I’m not the fleeting type at all; it’s not my way of life.” For her part, Zendaya was spending time with her Euphoria co-star Jacob Elordi, taking a vacation to Athens, Greece in August of that year. Months later she flew down to Australia to spend Thanksgiving with his family, although he notably sister-zoned her when speaking with GQ in November.
“Zendaya is an amazing creative, you know? She’s super dope to work with. She’s an incredible artist and a very caring person to all of us… She’s like my sister,” Elordi told the publication. Despite this, photos of them kissing in NYC surfaced in February 2020; clearly things weren’t meant to be as the Saltburn star moved on with Kaia Gerber by September (though the split in Nov. 2021), allowing Zendaya to give Holland a serious chance to win her heart.
By July 2021, Paparazzi Photos Caught Zendaya and Her Rumored British Beau Smooching
After four years of denial, paparazzi caught Holland and Zendaya sharing a smooch at a red light in July 2021, seemingly confirming their relationship. While they had already shared their adventures together on social media, birthday tributes and messages of support have only grown more frequent from each partner. That November, the couple spoke with GQ about fame’s impact on their relationship, sharing similar perspectives. “One of the downsides of our fame is that privacy isn’t really in our control anymore, and a moment that you think is between two people that love each other very much is now a moment that is shared with the entire world,” Holland remarked.
“The equal sentiment [we both share] is just that when you really love and care about somebody, some moments or things, you wish were your own… I think loving someone is a sacred thing and a special thing and something that you want to deal with and go through and experience and enjoy amongst the two people that love each other,” Zendaya chimed in.
The Young Couple Has Only Grown More Serious in Recent Years
To kick off 2022, the Challengers starlet flew to London to meet Holland’s family. While they’ve both been busy with consistent work, a source told US Magazine that the lovers are “in settling-down mode and are absolutely planning for a real future together” that November. As confirmation of their adoration, eagle-eyed fans noticed Z’s flashy new ring with her partner’s initials in a photo shared by her manicurist in March 2023.
2024 Began With Split Rumors, but Is Ending on a High Note as Z and TH Prepare for the Next ‘Spider-Man’ Film
When the former child star unfollowed everyone on IG in January 2024, gossip about a split from Holland began to spread, which he quickly denied to TMZ. Since, they’ve only continued to celebrate and support one another, with Zendaya reflecting on their growth from the first Spider-Man movie in 2017 to Vogue. “We were both very, very young, but my career was already kind of going, and his changed overnight. One day you’re a kid and you’re at the pub with your friends, and then the next day you’re Spider-Man. I definitely watched his life kind of change in front of him. But he handled it really beautifully,” she said.
More recently, Holland appeared on The Rich Roll podcast to discuss the future of the Marvel franchise. “We have a creative and a pitch and a draft which is excellent,” he said earlier this month. “It needs work but the writers are doing a great job and I read it three weeks ago and it really lit a fire in me… Zendaya and I sat down and read it together and we at times were like bouncing around the living room. Like this is a real movie worthy of the fans’ respect, but there [are] a few things we need to figure out before we can get that really going. But it’s exciting and I’m really, really excited about it.”