An Unglamorous History of Tomdaya
There are few things more glamorous in this world than movie-star couples: Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell — it’s hard not to be overcome by the allure of stardom. And then there’s Tom Holland and Zendaya, perhaps the most famous modern pairing of movie stars but whose vibe is mostly relatable silliness. Seriously — these two are some of the least-serious movie stars we’ve yet seen. They can’t go two seconds without doing something entirely unglamorous. It’s a match made in shockingly beautiful, derpy heaven. Upon the news of their recent engagement, find a timeline of their relationship below, highlighting the moments that would likely make them blush. Hey, it’s not as if we can give a speech at the wedding.
May 6, 2016: Holland makes his debut as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, setting into motion a love for the ages.
June 20, 2016: Production begins on Spider-Man: Homecoming with Holland as Peter Parker and Zendaya as MJ. They are officially co-workers.
May 7, 2017: In what we think could accurately be described as an elaborate mating ritual, the two go on Lip Sync Battle and show off their compatibility by both performing gender-swapped lip syncs of pop songs. Zendaya is great in her Bruno Mars number, but, of course, Holland wins the night with “Umbrella.” Zendaya looks amazed.
June 2017: The two actors begin their press tour for Homecoming, showing off their real-life chemistry for the very first time. One interview lives in infamy:
In it, Zendaya and Holland do a little dance while on the international leg of their press tour for Homecoming and then Zendaya just cannot stop doing it to try to make Holland laugh, even after he composes himself. “I have a ginormous crush and thus am not in control of my limbs”–core.
June 28, 2017: Spider-Man: Homecoming premieres in theaters, going on to rake in nearly $900 million and introducing America and the world to the new power couple (just onscreen for now).
July 13, 2017: The two have an exchange on Twitter that is entirely too flirty for them not to be flirting, in which Zendaya says she has never been on vacation with Holland because she never gets to go on vacation. Holland replies, “Does the press tour count,” with a tongue-out emoji. Even the replies are kind of, like … get a room.
@Zendaya Does the press tour count ???????? https://t.co/2WsstZPyde
— Tom Holland (@TomHolland1996) July 13, 2017
July 2, 2019: Spider-Man: Far From Home premieres and includes Holland and Zendaya’s first documented kiss, though they are in character as Peter and MJ. They later address a major question during press with SiriusXM: How could they possibly kiss when she towers above him? “She’s not that much taller,” Holland exclaims in an outraged response while Zendaya chuckles. “Maybe an inch or two at best. People say, ‘How did you guys kiss? It must have been so difficult.’”
July 17, 2019: TMZ publishes photos of Holland out and about and holding hands with a blonde mystery woman that the Sun later identifies as family friend Olivia Bolton.
February 3, 2020: Zendaya is spotted kissing her Euphoria co-star Jacob Elordi, who is noticeably tall, rather than Holland’s noticeably not-tall.
July 2, 2021: In the lead-up to the next Spider-Man film, Holland and Zendaya are spotted making out in a car, and “Page Six” publishes the photos. Hot, hot, hot!
December 10, 2021: The two kick off their first press tour as an official couple, and they spend the whole time making fun of each other mercilessly. That includes this interview, in which Zendaya impersonates Holland as a child singing “Electricity” from Billy Elliot. Adorable!
December 13, 2021: Spider-Man: No Way Home is officially released and goes on to become the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time, per Box Office Mojo.
January 29, 2022: Holland and Zendaya buy a house in Richmond, London, per the Sun. She also has a home in L.A., but this place is just four miles from where Holland grew up.
August 4, 2024: Zendaya attends the final performance of Holland’s production of Romeo & Juliet, bouquet in hand.
October 18, 2024: Holland says that one of his “favorite things” to do to help Zendaya is to fix her home, per People. “The other day, she has this guest room, which was … it wasn’t the greatest room — like, it needed some love,” he said. “I built her these cupboards and put a new wardrobe up for her and fitted it in so it looked like it was part of the wall. And I was very proud of myself.”
November 8, 2024: Both Holland and Zendaya are confirmed to be in the cast of Christopher Nolan’s new movie, which turns out is … The Odyssey!
January 5, 2025: Zendaya shows up to the Golden Globes with a big honking ring on her left hand. While she doesn’t confirm it that night, people are pretty sure it was real, because in response to a Los Angeles Times reporter showing Zendaya her own engagement ring, Zendaya did “a sort of jazz-fingers motion” showing off the one on her finger. All right, Liza Minnelli!
January 6, 2025: The next day, sources confirm the engagement to People. “He’s always been crazy about her,” a source told the outlet. “He always knew she was the one. They have something very special.” Yeah, like the ability to be mutually glamorous goofballs.
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