What’s a friendly neighbourhood kiss between two Spider-Man co-stars?
Confirming our collective and long-held tingle that Tom Holland and Zendaya might be more than just friends, the two actors were spotted kissing off screen this week.
In contrast to their early 2000s forebears, the two were seen sharing a smooch right-side up while stopped at a traffic light in Los Angeles on Thursday.
The PDA-heavy photos obtained by Page Six show Holland gently touching Zendaya’s chin as he leans in for a kiss, before the two seemingly erupt into laughter.
Holland and Zendaya, who will reunite on-screen as Peter Parker and MJ in the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home, have yet to address their relationship status.
But earlier on Thursday, the maybe-couple spent time with Zendaya’s mother, Claire Stoermer, suggesting that whatever their current arrangement might be, it doesn’t exactly scream casual.
Fans have Spidey-sensed that a romance was brewing between the co-stars behind the scenes for some time, with reports claiming that the pair were indeed dating in 2017 after the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The two playfully shot down the rumours at the time and Zendaya tweeted, “My favorite is when it says we go on vacations together HA! I haven’t been on a vacation in years!😂😭🤣hbu @TomHolland1996 ???”
Holland responded in kind, asking his co-star if their press tour counted as a romantic getaway.
Both actors have since been linked to different partners, but apparently the pull of a Spider-Man romance ― Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst were the first to spark the trend, and Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone followed suit ― proved far too strong.
So, after years of speculation and relentless shipping, the internet gleefully celebrated that Tomdaya is official after the photos went viral.
In a recent British GQ interview, Holland opened up about how Zendaya has helped him adjust to life in the spotlight.
“I used to come across sometimes as a bit of a dick to fans, mainly as I was always so surprised that they’d want a picture with me or signature or whatever. I’d have the typical Londoner reaction, one of instant suspicion: ‘Why are you talking to me?’”
“Zendaya spotted this and quickly told me that this sort of reaction was going to be more aggro than just smiling and taking the picture,” Holland explained. “She totally changed the way I am able to be more comfortable in public.”
Judging by those photos, comfortable in public indeed!