‘Spider-Man’ Tom Holland Admits Zendaya Was ‘Instrumental’ In Keeping Him Grounded
Spider-Man: No Way Home stars Tom Holland and Zendaya are close friends, and that’s probably because the two have a lot in common. Both started their careers as child actors. And in recent years, they’ve shared an immense amount of fame.
Holland recently admitted that the constant storm of paparazzi and fans could get to him sometimes. But he said the Zendaya’s been the calming force in his life and has been instrumental in keeping him grounded.
Tom Holland and Zendaya met while working on ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’
Holland and Zendaya’s first film together, Spider-Man: Homecoming, was released in 2017. The actors worked on two more movies together — Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home — and have admittedly become good friends.
While there are rumors the two are dating, neither of them has confirmed it. But they do tag each other on social media. And in an interview with British Vogue, Zendaya referred to Holland as one of her best friends.
Tom Holland says Zendaya kept him grounded
In a recent feature for GQ, Holland talked about his rise to fame. He revealed how growing up in the movie industry was confusing, mainly because of differing advice on who he should be.
“Some told me, ‘You should go out and buy a Ferrari and live in Malibu and live the high life,” Holland recalled. “Some [would] say, ‘I wouldn’t do interviews with chat shows if you don’t want to.’ I’ve kind of found a middle ground.”
“The ages between 15 and 21 are when you figure out who you’re going to be,” he continued. “When everyone’s telling you that you’re the best thing in the world, you can grow up and believe that.”
But Holland revealed that Zendaya had been a humbling voice in his life. And her advice has helped keep him grounded.
“Having her in my life was so instrumental to my sanity,” he suggested. “She is so good at being the role model for young guys and girls. When anyone comes up, like, ‘Can I have a picture?’ it’s never a bad time. Whereas my initial reaction was: ‘Why are you talking to me? Leave me alone.’ ”
The ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ stars want to keep their relationship private
With the fame and success that comes with being a Marvel star, it’s been hard for Holland and Zendaya to keep their personal lives private. In July, paparazzi photos of the two kissing took the internet by storm. In their chat with GQ, both actors admitted the pictures felt like a violation of privacy because they weren’t ready to share their relationship with the world just yet.
“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 said. “I’ve always been really adamant to keep my private life private because I share so much of my life with the world anyway.
“It was quite strange and weird and confusing and invasive,” Zendaya told the outlet. “The equal sentiment 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.”
Holland and Zendaya’s last film of the Marvel franchise, Spider-Man: No Way Home, opens in theaters on Dec. 17, 2021.
