Not all acting! Tom Holland and Zendaya have had a special spark ever since they were cast as love interests Peter Parker and MJ, respectively, in the Spider-Man movies.
The Cherry actor, 25, and the Euphoria star, 24, were spotted kissing in his car on July 1 after years of denying that they are dating. However, they never planned to confirm their relationship.
“They’re both not one to make their relationship public,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly of the couple. “They’re private when it comes to dating, so any photos that have come out would’ve just been them going about their business and not knowing photographers were around.”
Holland and Zendaya were first linked in 2017, but they long maintained that they were nothing more than friends. Their onscreen romance eventually translated into a real-life connection.
“Their chemistry on the set of Spider-Man was off the charts. It was no wonder why they were chosen to play each other’s love interests,” the insider reveals. “Their relationship when they first dated happened naturally. I know they broke up at some point, but they’ve always remained friends.”
Indeed, Holland dated Olivia Bolton from 2019 to 2020 and was linked to Nadia Parkes last year. Zendaya, for her part, dated Euphoria costar Jacob Elordi from 2019 to 2020.
The source predicts that the duo “rekindled their relationship” when they were on set shooting Spider-Man: No Way Home, the third installment in the film series, which is set to be released in December.
Despite their romantic pasts, Zendaya and Holland bonded over their common values and interests. “They make a good match because they’re both one of the kindest actors you will meet. Zendaya is selfless, caring and compassionate, and you can see that in Tom as well,” the insider says. “They’re both artists and are creative — not just when it comes to acting but in other ways. And they’re both really close to their families.”
Although the source believes that the Marvel stars’ relationship can “be more than a summer fling,” the two are likely “not rushing into anything serious.” Fans are sure to see more of them together in the months ahead too as they do the press rounds for Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Zendaya previously raved about Holland in 2017 while shutting down dating rumors. “We are friends,” she told Variety at the time. “He’s a great dude. He’s literally one of my best friends. This past how[ever] many months we’ve had to do press tours together. There’s very few people that will understand what that’s like at 20 years old.”
The Onward star later told Elle magazine in 2019 that he and the Disney Channel alum were not an item.
As for their characters, Peter and MJ finally got together in 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home after remaining platonic in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming.
With reporting by Diana Cooper
