Last night, photos of Tom Holland and Zendaya attending the launch party for his non-alcoholic beer brand, Bero, were released. What some didn’t capture was just how overwhelming the photographers were in their attempt to get a shot of the couple outside. Entertainment Tonight ran a video of Holland grabbing Zendaya’s hand to pull her away from cameras crowding around her and fans trying to get her autograph.
It is a jarring glimpse at what the couple deals with as A-list actors. Many applauded Holland’s “green flag” behavior as he sought to protect his partner and lead her away from the crowd. Others noted the way she smiled as he did so.
Last summer, Zendaya spoke to ELLE about how the attention surrounding her relationship drastically changed when she was shooting Challengers in spring 2022.
“After the last Spider-Man and the last season of Euphoria, there was a visceral change,” she said. “Before, I could get away with going places and getting in and out. But in Boston [last spring], I would end up going right back home, because it was really overstimulating. Everybody would go hang out at a bar or something, and I’d be like, ‘I’d love to, but I think I could ruin everybody’s night. Because it’s just not going to be fun once I’m there.’”
She also addressed the public’s interest in her relationship with Holland, saying, “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. 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.”
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.