Introduction
Rumors have been swirling this week about Spider-Man co-stars and real-life couple Tom Holland and Zendaya after she suddenly unfollowed everyone on Instagram, including Holland. This led to speculation that the Hollywood power couple, who have kept their romance mostly out of the spotlight since getting together in 2021, had quietly broken up.
However, Holland was quick to shut down the hearsay, confirming that he and Zendaya are still very much together. The tense few days gave fans a rare glimpse into the couple’s ultra-private world though, as both stars felt compelled to address the public attention on their relationship.
Zendaya’s Instagram Purge Sparks Rumor Frenzy
On January 4th, Zendaya unexpectedly removed all 356 accounts she had previously been following from her Instagram feed, leaving the number sitting at a blank 0. Among the unfollowed were her Spider-Man co-stars Tom Holland and Jacob Batalon, her assistant Darnell Appling, and even her own mother.
While the move left fans scratching their heads, Zendaya did not offer up an explanation for the drastic social media cleanse. This led news outlets and internet gossip mills like TMZ to question if it was a subtle statement about the state of her romance with Holland, 26.
The purge came just days after photos emerged showing Holland partying solo on New Year’s Eve in his hometown London, while Zendaya, 27, was on vacation in Mexico with Appling and other girlfriends.
Some theorized the tropical retreat was actually a heartbreak holiday for the actress. The Instagram activity then seemed to bolster the speculation that the globe-trotting relationship had fizzled out.
| Dating Timeline | |
|---|---|
| July 2021 | Holland and Zendaya are photographed kissing in Los Angeles, confirming romance rumors |
| November 2021 | Couple makes first red carpet appearance together at the Ballon d’Or awards |
| January 2023 | Zendaya and Holland are seen vacationing together in Budapest and New York City |
| December 2023 | Holland hosts solo New Year’s Eve Party in London while Zendaya vacations in Mexico |
Holland Swiftly Shuts Down Gossip
Never one to let a rumor about his relationship stew, Holland took to social media less than 10 hours after Zendaya’s unfollow spree to set the record straight for fans.
“Zendaya and I didn’t break up,” he commented on an Instagram post discussing the actress’ mysterious Instagram activity.
He denied breakup reports outright again the next day in a follow-up post, making it abundantly clear that he and Zendaya are still very much an item.
“I think because we have been so private and we have not spoken about our relationship, people start to speculate and start to put pieces together of their own reality,” he explained. “But the reality is that we choose to keep our relationship private because we feel we have a right to privacy.”
The candid posts were a change of pace for the extremely tight-lipped couple, who rarely address rumors about their romance. But this time, Holland felt the need to intervene over “silly internet stuff” that he feared was spiraling out of control.
Zendaya Stays Silent
While her boyfriend was quick to speak out, Zendaya has yet to comment herself on either the Instagram purge or ensuing breakup buzz. The Emmy-winner disabled comments on her posts shortly after the unfollowing incident, blocking followers from publicly questioning her about it on her page.
However in classic Zendaya fashion, she seemed to be taking a subtle jab at the frenzy on her Instagram story. The morning after removing her follows, she shared a post that read, *“BE who you needed when you were younger”. *
Fans took this as a sign that she was tuning out the outside opinions and drama to focus on self-care.
What Sparked Zendaya’s Social Media Reset?
Neither Zendaya nor Holland have offered an explicit reason for her abrupt unfollow spree. But celebrity watchers have a couple theories about what may have motivated the online overhaul.
Some believe the attention from starting 2023 in separate locations made Zendaya hyper-aware of the scrutiny on them as a couple. Realizing 356 accounts was too much access, she may have wiped the slate clean to limit prying eyes.
E! News host Adrienne Bailon conjectured, “She’s obviously focused on privacy based on the fact that they’ve been so secretive about their romance. So maybe she just realized having that many people she’s following, that’s just opening a door for people to kind of scrutinize who you’re liking and who you’re not.”
Others speculate that after a busy 2022 filming, releasing movies, attending glitzy events and jet-setting around the world, she wanted to digitally detox. With so much going on and so many opinions being shared online, she possibly needed to pare-down her news intake for balance and self-care.
No matter the exact reasons though, it seems Zendaya is reminding fans that what she shares on social media is carefully curated on her own terms.
How The Couple Typically Handles Rumors
Holland and Zendaya have gone to great lengths to keep their romantic relationship extremely private over the 2+ years they have been an item. They rarely share details or snapshots into their coupledom with the media or online.
In a 2021 interview with GQ, Holland said this discretion is deliberate, explaining: “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 continued: “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.”
So when gossip about them as a pair inevitably bubbles up on gossip sites and social media, they typically don’t engage. For example, when photos came out suggesting they spent New Years 2023 apart, their teams declined to comment.
Holland’s online rebuttal confirmed this breakup banter crossed a line though, forcing him to say something to halt the rumor mill.
What The Future Holds For The Couple
Holland made it clear that he and Zendaya are still happily coupled up. And sources report they recently enjoyed a pre-New Year’s trip to New York City together.
As for what’s next, Holland revealed that they have special plans in the works, explaining: “We have plans to travel together this year, something we’re both looking forward to. We’re just a very normal couple enjoying a healthy relationship; the key is maintaining that good balance between work and our personal lives.”
So while the past week provided an unusually intimate glimpse into their private world, don’t expect much more access moving forward. It seems these two will continue keeping their love away from prying eyes in 2024 and beyond.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
