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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Kate Ng

A timeline of Zendaya and Tom Holland’s relationship

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Tom Holland has shut down rumours that he and Zendaya have bought a multi-million pound house in south London, following weeks of speculation.

The 25-year-old addressed media reports that he purchased a £3 million property in Richmond and said they were “completely false”.

It comes after The Mirror reported the couple had purchased their first home together and were expected to move in together later this year.

But while the pair - who have been christened “Tomdaya” by the internet - might not be moving to live-in status just yet, they remain a firm favourite among fans.

In December last year, fans praised Holland for stopping an interview to watch Zendaya arrive on the red carpet at the world premiere of Spider-Man: No Way Home in Los Angeles.

In the middle of his red carpet interview, the 25-year-old actor turned towards the sound of fans screaming as Zendaya arrived and tried to spot her, before resuming. People described his eagerness to see her as the “cutest thing ever”, with many adoring how “smitten” he seems.

If you also can’t get enough of “Tomdaya”, here’s a timeline of their relationship from when they met until today.

How did Tom Holland and Zendaya meet?

Holland and Zendaya first met in 2016 while filming for Spider-Man: Homecoming, the second Spider-Man film reboot and first starring Holland as Peter Parker.

At the time, he told People that they were “the best of friends”, describing Zendaya as “so great and amazing”.

Holland added: “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.”

When did Tom Holland and Zendaya start dating?

By 2017, rumours were flying that Holland and Zendaya had started dating, particularly after an episode of Lip Sync Battle featuring the pair went viral.

In the episode, which aired in May 2017, Holland performed Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ in corset and fishnet tights, complete with backing dancers and rain machines on stage.

Shortly after, People quoted a source as saying that the pair were being “super careful to keep [their relationship] private” but have “gone on vacations with each other”.

However, Zendaya dismissed the reports about them dating. She tweeted: “Wait, wait… My favourite is when it says we go on vacations together HA! I haven’t been on a vacation in years” Hbu @TomHolland1996?”

Holland quote-tweeted her and added: “Does the press tour count?”

Following Zendaya’s dismissal of the relationship, the rumours began fizzling out. In 2018, Holland posted a photograph of Zendaya at the 2018 Met Gala, with the caption: “All hail the queen”.

Did Tom Holland and Zendaya date other people?

It has never been confirmed if either Zendaya or Holland dated other people, but in 2019, it was reported that the Euphoria star was dating Jacob Elordi, who appears opposite her in the HBO series.

They were seen vacationing together in Greece in August 2019, and later pictured kissing in New York City in February 2020. However, their relationship had reportedly ended by September 2020, when Elordi was photographed holding hands with model Kaia Gerber.

As for Holland, he was reportedly in a relationship with Domina star Nadia Parkes last year. The Daily Mail quoted a source as saying the two spent lockdown together in Holland’s London home.

He posted a picture of Parkes on his Instagram account in July 2020, further fueling the rumours that they were dating.

Have Tom Holland and Zendaya gone public with their relationship?

Any illusions that either Holland or Zendaya were seeing other people quickly disappeared afterPage Six published photographs of the couple kissing in a car and hanging out with Zendaya’s mother together in July last year.

Holland later made it Instagram official when he posted a photograph of the two on Zendaya’s birthday, 1 September, with the caption: “My MJ”. He added: “Gimme a call when your [sic] up xxx.”

He also posted a photograph of her from the Dune red carpet on 19 October with a heart-eyed emoji in the caption. The day after, Timothee Chalamet said in an interview with his Dune co-star that her “biggest crush” is Holland.

Zendaya opened up about how she felt about Holland in an interview with InStyle in October and said: “He’s a fun time. Very charismatic, can make anybody feel comfortable and have a good laugh and a good chat. A good chat – I sound so British.”

On 17 November, Holland spoke candidly about his relationship with Zendaya in a GQ interview, in which he laments the lack of control they have over their privacy.

Referring to the photographs of him and Zendaya kissing in the car, he said: “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.

“I’ve always been really adamant to keep my private life private, because I share so much of my life with the world anyway. We sort of felt robbed of our privacy.”

He also said his decision not to discuss their relationship was because “it’s not a conversation that I can have without her”.

“I respect her too much to say… This isn’t my story. It’s our story. And we’ll talk about what it is when we’re ready to talk about it together,” he added.

Zendaya also weighed in on the photographs and said: “It was quite strange and weird and confusing and invasive. 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.”

She added: “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.”

The pair made their red carpet debut as a couple in December 2021. At the Hollywood premiere of Spider-Man: No Way Home on Tuesday, Holland told US television show Extra: “She’s one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. And I love her to bits. So to be here tonight is amazing. I’m delighted to share it with her.”

Are Tom Holland and Zendaya moving in together?

The pair were rumoured to be planning to move in together, but Holland has confirmed that these were untrue.

He told Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest during an appearance on their US show on Friday: “I’ve had so many people call me up, because apparently, I bought a new house in south London? Which is completely false!

“I didn’t buy a new house. I’m like, ‘Wow, what a surprise, I wonder when I’ll get the keys’.”

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