After being together for over three years, Zendaya and Tom Holland have got engaged.
The usually private Hollywood couple sparked rumours that a wedding could be on the cards after the Challengers actress was spotted wearing a diamond ring on her left-hand ring finger at the 2025 Golden Globes, which convinced fans that she was making a soft launch announcement about their engagement, following years of speculation.
And, according to TMZ, the rumours are true. Sources close to the couple said that Tom proposed to Zendaya between Christmas and New Year's at her family home in the United States. It was reported that no family was around them as it was just the two of them when he asked Zendaya to marry him in a proposal that was 'romantic and not over the top.'
Zendaya’s ring is thought to be the 5.02ct cushion diamond set in an east-west orientation on a gold band by British jeweller Jessica McCormack, rumoured to cost an estimated £200k – and her decision to show off her new sparkler at such a high-profile event got fans talking.
‘Is that an engagement ring?’ one fan said, with another commenting, ‘The ring.’ A third remarked, ‘Zendaya is too PR trained to wear a ring like that on THAT specific finger if it wasn’t a legit engagement ring.’
Neither Zendaya or Tom Holland's reps have confirmed or denied an engagement yet.
The furore over Zendaya's 'engagement' ring came after Tom recently opened up about marriage and fatherhood. ‘When I have kids, you will not see me in movies any more. Golf and dad. And I will just disappear off the face of the Earth,’ he said.
With things getting serious for the Spider-Man stars, we take a look at their friends-to-lovers romance.
2016: Tom Holland and Zendaya meet
Tom Holland and Zendaya met in June 2016 on the set of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming when they become co-stars, after being cast in the lead roles of Peter Parker aka Spiderman and his classmate and love interest MJ.
The pair quickly struck up a great friendship, with Zendaya advising Tom on fame. ‘We are like best friends. She’s so great and amazing,’ he said. ‘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.’
2017: Tom and Zendaya deny dating rumours
During the press tour for Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017, Zendaya and Tom were quick to dismiss any dating rumours, confirming that they were just good friends multiple times. In response to a tweet that they have gone on holiday together, Zendaya replied, ‘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 ???’ Tom tweeted back, ‘Does the press tour count.’
October 2018: Tom and Zendaya film Spider-Man: Far From Home
The pair start filming the second Spider-Man installment, Far From Home.
June 2019: Tom and Zendaya promote Spider-Man: Far From Home
Three years after their Spidey debuts, Tom and Zendaya are reunited for the press tour of the Marvel movie but kept their distance on the red carpet, presumably to dispel romance rumours.
2019-2020: They date other people
Zendaya started dating her Euphoria co-star Jacob Elordi in 2019. They were seen acting lovey-dovey in New York City and Greece. Meanwhile, Tom hard launched his relationship with British actress Nadia Parkes - with whom he was rumoured to spend lockdown - on Instagram. It is believed that the pair were introduced to each other by A-list ex-couple Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas.
July 2021: Tom and Zendaya are seen kissing
Despite the growing speculation surrounding their off-screen relationship over the years, paparazzi photos emerged of Zendaya and Tom kissing in car whilst stopped at a red light in July 2021, confirming that they were together. Fans went crazy, delighted for the new couple.
August 2021: Tom and Zendaya go to a wedding together
Tom and Zendaya looked like they were getting closer as they attended a friend’s wedding together in August 2021. Photos show them very comfortable and cosy with one another, as they posed with their heads leaning against each other and with their arms around each other.
September 2021: Tom and Zendaya go Insta official
After years of fans' wishing, Tom seemingly confirmed the rumours that the pair were dating by sharing a sweet tribute to the birthday girl on Zendaya’s 25th birthday in September 2021, . He wrote, ‘My MJ, have the happiest of birthdays. Gimme a call when your up xxx.’
October 2021: Zendaya speaks about Tom
Zendaya had only high praise for her Spider-Man co-star in an interview. ‘It is 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,’ she said.
She praised Tom’s work ethic too. ‘There are many things, obviously, that I appreciate. In an actor way, I appreciate that he really loves being Spider-Man. It’s a lot of pressure – you take on the role of a superhero wherever you go. To the little kid who walks by, you are Spider-Man. I think he handled that so well,’ she said to InStyle.
‘Our director allowed me to come in every day [of the shoot], and it was cool to see how he cares so much about his work and making it right. I watched him do a fight scene all day, which is exhausting. He’d do a move, come back to the monitors, watch it, and say, “I can do that better”. I’d be like, “Dude, you got it”. But he wants us to be perfect, and I really appreciate that.’
November 2021: Tom and Zendaya open up about their relationship
Tom confirmed that he was dating Zendaya in an interview but said that it wouldn’t feel right talking about their romance. ‘It’s not a conversation that I can have without her. You know, 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 said.
He also revealed that the paparazzi photos capturing their intimate moments felt like an infringement of their privacy. ‘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,’ he told GQ. ‘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.’
Zendaya added, ‘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. 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.’
Winter 2021: Tom and Zendaya promote Spider-Man: No Way Home together
The couple look ever stylish as they embarked on the press run for the third Spidey film, No Way Home. Zendaya is inspired by outfits that pay homage to the comic series from a custom Valentino Haute Couture gown with embroidered cobwebs to a Alexander McQueen look with crystal spiderweb stockings.
February 2022: Tom denies rumours that they have bought a house together
Despite stories that Tom and Zendaya have taken the next step in their relationship and bought a home together, the actor set the record straight. ‘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".'
June 2022: Zendaya posts a birthday tribute to Tom
August 2022: Tom flew to Budapest to see Zendaya
Absence makes the heart grow fonder as Tom flew from New York City, where he was filming The Crowded Room, to meet his girl in Budapest, where she was filming Dune 2. The couple were later spotted sightseeing in the Hungarian capital.
September 2022: They celebrate Zendaya’s 26th birthday
The actress enjoyed a celebratory dinner at MAMO Italian restaurant in New York City with Tom, her mother Claire Stoermer and her Euphoria co-star Hunter Schafer.
December 2022: Zendaya’s mum denies engagement rumours
Amid reports that Tom and Zendaya have got secretly engaged, the actress’ mum Claire took to Instagram to dismiss the stories, sharing a screenshot of the dictionary definition of clickbait.
March 2023: Tom and Zendaya are spotted in London
The low-key couple are seen making a rare appearance, as they shop for groceries in London. They also held hands as they grabbed drinks. Later that month, they enjoy a date night at Indian restaurant Jamavar in central London.
As a sign that their relationship is getting serious, Tom and Zendaya are seen wearing each other’s initials: the actress’ new piece of jewellery is a signet ring featuring her boyfriend’s initials TH while he is seen wearing trousers with the letter ‘Z’ on the back pockets.
April 2023: Tom and Zendaya visit India
The pair head to Mumbai, India, together. They enjoy an outing on a yacht and attend the launch of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre at the Jio World Centre. Later that month, they take a tour of Hampton Court Palace and go to an Usher gig.
Zendaya also opens up about Tom’s British accent and how she grapples with the language in an interview. ‘I love the British accent, but as much as Tom tries to explain it to me, I will never understand rhyming slang,’ she admitted. ‘Like I understand the concept – but what do apples and pears have to do with stairs? It’s cute when he tells me all the different phrases – but I really don’t get it!’
The couple open up about each other in respective interviews, with Zendaya raving about her man’s unwavering support as she worked on Euphoria.
May 2023: More outings for Tom and Zendaya
Tom and Oakland native Zendaya watched a basketball match – they saw her team, the Golden State Warriors, and the Los Angeles Lakers play at San Francisco. Later that month, they flew to Venice, Italy.
June 2023: Tom reveals he’s ‘happy and in love’
In a rare and unexpected admission about his private life, Tom opened up about his relationship as he discussed his lack of ‘rizz’.
‘I have no rizz whatsoever. I have limited rizz. I need you to fall in love with me, really, for it to work,’ he said to Buzzfeed. ‘So, long game. Probably making a movie with each other. Definitely helps when the characters you’re playing are falling in love with one another—you can sort of blur the lines a little bit. That’s kind of where my rizz is at. And I’m, you know, I’m locked up, so I’m happy and in love. So I’ve got no need for rizz.’
Tom, who celebrated his 27th birthday on 1 June, also revealed how Zendaya spams him with memes. ‘It’s nonstop. She sends me too much, it’s like, I can’t keep up!’ he admitted. ‘I delete my Instagram for days at a time. I download it to post and then I have to check my messages, and I’ll have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of things from her.’
July 2023: Tom says he’s ‘lucky’ to have Zendaya
Not long after revealing he is ‘in love’, Tom opened up about how their shared experiences have brought them closer. ‘I’m lucky that I have someone like Zendaya in my life,’ he told the SmartLess podcast. ‘It’s interesting being in a romantic relationship with someone that is in the same boat as you. You can share your experiences and all that sort of stuff. And that’s worth its weight in gold.’
The couple were seen having dinner at Novikov in London on 20 July.
August 2023: Zendaya speaks out about privacy
Following Tom’s thoughts on fame and privacy, Zendaya, who admits that she is ‘shy’, admitted that she doesn’t feel comfortable living their highly publicised romance out in the spotlight. ‘Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public. I can't not be a person and live my life and love the person I love. But also, I do have control over what I choose to share,’ she said. ‘It’s about protecting the peace and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist. You can’t hide. That’s not fun, either. I am navigating it more than ever now.’
The pair were seen in Zendaya’s Californian hometown of Oakland on 25 August, where they attended a community basketball event.
September 2023: Tom and Zendaya watch Beyonce in concert
The couple were among the A-listers at Beyonce’s LA show for her Renaissance World Tour on 4 September, marking the superstar’s 42nd birthday. Honouring Queen Bey’s silver-themed birthday dress code, Zendaya glammed up in a silver sequinned ensemble of blazer, crop top and shorts while Tom stayed in the background in all-black.
January 2024: Tom denies split rumours
Tom Holland and Zendaya were rumoured to have split in late 2023, after they were not seen together in public since October 2023 and the actress unfollowed everyone on Instagram, including Tom. But Tom denied the rumours, saying that the stories were ‘absolutely not’ true.
Later that month, he posted about her new film Challengers plus a loved-up message for Zendaya’s front-row look at Schiaparelli’s spring/summer 2024 runway show at Paris Fashion Week, with heart-eye emojis. ‘This was made for me,’ he said.
February 2024: Tom and Zendaya attend the Dune: Part Two after-party
Tom and Zendaya silenced the rumours surrounding their romance as they left the Dune: Part Two world premiere after-party in London, hand-in-hand. In a show of unity, they coordinated their monochromatic black outfits, looking very much like the couple who dresses together, stays together.
Zendaya complimented Tom’s ‘rizz’ game later that month as she promoted Challengers. ‘I think someone who has beautiful charisma, not on the Dune cast, but I personally – works for me – is Mr Tom Holland,’ she told Buzzfeed. ‘I’m more shy and kind of quiet, so it takes a little bit more to pull me out of my shell. But he’s great at just talking to people and getting to know people. You see him on talk shows and stuff like that. He’s just naturally very good at that. Whereas for me, I’ve definitely had to pull it out of me a little bit. So, he’s got that natural gift.’
And when asked in another interview, she revealed that she would want to bring ‘my boyfriend’ home from the UK. ‘I would just take him with me,’ she added.
March 2024: Tom and Zendaya’s tennis date
Tom and Zendaya attend the Indian Wells Open in California, where they sit courtside.
April 2024: Zendaya reveals pride over Tom
Zendaya opened up about her man, ahead of his theatre appearance in the West End production of Romeo and Juliet. She said that she ‘could not be more proud’ of Tom’s work in the play, adding, ‘I’m going to try to see as many shows as I possibly can.’
She also spoke about how he adapted to life in the public eye seamlessly. ‘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,’ she said. ‘I definitely watched his life kind of change in front of him. But he handled it really beautifully.’
Later that month, they looked so in love at the London premiere of Challengers, as they kissed and embraced inside the cinema.
May 2024: Tom praises Zendaya’s Met Gala look
While he didn’t attend the Met Gala on 7 May, Tom was full of praise for Zendaya, who co-chaired the 2024 event. He shared a photo of her in her first look of the night – a royal blue and emerald green gown from Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano – which he added a string of heart-eye emojis. Adorable!
On 23 May, Zendaya supported Tom when she saw him perform Romeo and Juliet in London. The couple were spotted in matching all-black outfits as they left the Duke of York theatre.
August 2024: Tom and Zendaya seen out in California
Tom and Zendaya rocked casual chic, holding hands while out and about in Calabasas with her mum Claire.
October 2024: Tom gets handy for Zendaya
Tom gave an insight into their relationship as he opened up about how he has been embracing his DIY side for his girlfriend.
‘It’s one of my favourite things. If something breaks in Zendaya’s house, I take huge pride in fixing it,’ he said on the Rich Roll podcast. ‘The other day, she has this guest room... 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 2024: Tom and Zendaya enjoy a bar date
The couple went to a bar to celebrate the release of Tom’s non-alcoholic beer range Bero and Tom shared a photo of Zendaya giving a thumbs up next to her pint – to which he added three heart-eye emojis.
Zendaya has also opened up about working with Tom, saying that ‘it’s actually strangely comfortable’. ‘It’s like second nature, if anything. You feel extra safe with the person you’re acting beside,’ she said to Vanity Fair.
‘I love working with him. He’s so talented, and so passionate about what he does. He always gives things one thousand percent, even if he’s absolutely worn down. I really appreciate that about him. It feels pretty normal. That’s how we met. Literally, at a chemistry read.’
December 2024: Tom and Zendaya spend Christmas together
The couple spent Christmas together, with Zendaya’s family in the US. ‘I'll be with my girlfriend's family, which will be fun,’ Tom said.
2 January 2025: Tom on why he and Zendaya don’t pose on the red carpet together
Tom explained why they don’t walk red carpets together. The last time they posed for photographers was in winter 2021, when they embarked on the press tour for the third Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home.
‘Because it’s not my moment, it’s her moment, and if we go together, it’s about us,’ he said.
The actor also hinted at settling down in an interview. ‘When I have kids, you will not see me in movies any more. Golf and dad. And I will just disappear off the face of the Earth,’ he told Men’s Health.
5 January 2025: Zendaya debuts engagement ring at the Golden Globes
Zendaya got the internet in a frenzy as she sparked engagement rumours when she wore a dazzling 5.02ct diamond ring on her left-hand wedding ring finger at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards. Several outlets later confirm that Tom and Zendaya are, in fact, engaged after he proposed in December, sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
‘Tom’s always had this sweet way of letting the world know that Zendaya is his. Now, it's official – she really is! He’s always been crazy about her. He always knew she was the one. They have something very special,’ a source said.
Are Zendaya and Tom Holland married?
Not as yet. They have yet to comment on Zendaya’s ring, which she showed off at the Golden Globe Awards. A source said that they plan to take their time when it comes to their wedding.
'They will just enjoy things for now and won't rush a wedding. They are both busy with work projects,' the insider said.
How much older is Zendaya than Tom Holland?
Tom Holland’s birthday is on 1 June while Zendaya’s is on 1 September, so Tom is exactly three months older than her.
Do Zendaya and Tom Holland live together?
The happy couple live together in south London in a £3m home, when in the UK, and have been spotted popping into their local Gail’s and Waitrose by fans. Of course, Zendaya also has a home in the US, which is where most of her work is based. These two can afford it!
They also like to take their dogs Noon and Daphne for a walk in Richmond Park, often meeting up with Tom's parents who live in nearby Kingston. But don't expect any Challengers-style outfits in the park, though. The couple like to keep things very low key when they are out of the spotlight.
What happened to Zendaya and Jacob Elordi?
Then in 2019, Zendaya was linked to her Euphoria co-star Jacob Elordi when the pair were spotted backing on the PDA in New York. Sadly – although not for Tom Holland fans – it wasn’t meant to be and the pair split the following year.
Shereen Low is a senior writer at Grazia UK.