and 's relationship is more than just an on-screen romance.
The costars have entangled themselves in a web of romance rumors for years after being cast alongside each other in in 2016, but it wasn't until five years later that the couple confirmed their relationship.
During the interim period, Holland and Zendaya stressed in various interviews and social media posts that they were just really good friends — but although their relationship was supposedly platonic, their chemistry was undeniable.
Fast forward to 2019, the film franchise's fans were sent into a frenzy following the first on-screen kiss shared between Holland's Spider-Man and Zendaya's MJ in
.
Just a few months later, that shared moment transformed into something more than just acting — when the couple were in July 2021, confirming the pair's real-life love story.
Since then, Zendaya and Holland have strived to keep a low-profile relationship and avoid excessive PDA. This doesn't mean that the two don't show their love for each other in other ways, though, as they never fail to support each other on social media and at public events.
From costars to lovers, keep scrolling to see a complete breakdown of Zendaya and Holland's sweet relationship timeline.
On July 10, 2016, the two were cast in and began to slowly pop up on each other's Instagram feeds.
Holland shared a photo of the two alongside another friend enjoying a dip in the pool that summer, with the caption, "Summer Sunday's."
On Nov. 9, 2016, Zendaya shared where they were listed among the "Next Gen 2016."
The two actors were dressed to the nines with Zendaya in a gown and Holland in a black suit.
"Amidst all the chaos and sadness...this one good thing did happen to me today. Honored to share it with the very best...Spider-Man himself," she wrote in the caption.
The two continued to hang out, often accompanying each other to Hollywood events such as the MTV Movie & TV Awards in May 2017. In June of that year, the press tour for began and they were frequently spotted posing together on the red carpet.
After months of filming together, appearing on each other's Instagrams, and walking the same red carpets, rumors started to swirl surrounding the pair's relationship status — and on July 13, 2017, a source told PEOPLE
.
"They started seeing each other while they were filming ," said the insider. "They've been super careful to keep it private and out of the public eye but they've gone on vacations with each other and try and spend as much time as possible with one another."
Added another source, "They're both really ambitious and they challenge each other — but, most importantly, . They seem to have a really similar sense of humor and love joking around together. They have great banter back and forth."
Shortly before the July 7 premiere of , how Zendaya had helped him navigate the spotlight. "We are like the best of friends. She's so great and amazing," Holland said of the actress.
"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," he added.
In August 2017, the star told she and Holland were not dating. "We are friends," she said. "He's a great dude. He's literally one of my best friends. This past how many months we've had to do press tours together.
There's very few people that will understand what that's like at 20 years old."
The two remained close in between films, with Holland celebrating Zendaya's debut at the Met Gala in May 2018.
"All hail the queen. Killing it mate," alongside a photo of her dressed as Joan of Arc on the red carpet.
Holland also shared a cheeky moment on Instagram in May 2019 when he posted a photo of himself, Zendaya, and their costar Jacob Batalon while at Disneyland for a photocall to promote the film.
The actor placed Zendaya's tag in a socially awkward moment with Zendaya commenting, "I'm assuming because you don't know how to work ig, that's the reasoning behind my name placement," in .
Holland wrote back, "Thanks @zendaya for making me aware of my obvious blunder" before fixing the tag.
Considering was rehearsed and filmed months prior to its release date, we could assume that the pair have smooched many times before, but it wasn't until the movie hit theaters on June 26, 2019 that we saw the two kiss for the first time.
Holland and Zendaya even opened up during a panel, discussing their height difference and whether or not it affected their kiss — which Holland described as a "stupid assumption."
"[Zendaya's] not that much taller," he added. "It's not like, people say like, 'How do you guys kiss? It must have been so difficult.'"
The costars sparked dating rumors yet again when they were spotted inside a car on July 2, 2021.
The pair has been known to keep their personal lives low-key, and have since then opened up about their feelings towards dating in the public eye.
In celebration of Zendaya's 25th birthday on Sept. 1, Holland posted a of the two together, paired with a sweet caption.
"My MJ, have the happiest of birthdays. Gimme a call when you're [sp] up xxx," he captioned the shot, which shows him in his Spider-Man suit with Zendaya close behind him as she takes the picture with a camera.
"Calling now♥️," just a few hours later, as seen by Comments by Celebs.
During an interview with in November 2021, Holland briefly opened up about his desire to keep his romantic life private in the public eye.
"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," Holland told the outlet.
Zendaya told the magazine that having others get a glimpse at her personal life is both "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," the actress explained to the outlet. "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."
Right before hit theaters, dedicated to Holland on Dec. 15.
The first photo showed the actor suspended from cables sporting the iconic red and blue Spidey suit with a swipe to a throwback photo of Holland dressed as the character from when he was a kid.
"My Spider-Man, I'm so proud of you," . "Some things never change and good thing♥️."
of the actor's most recent film, , hand-in-hand on Feb. 16, 2022.
For the evening out, Holland donned a light gray suit and black turtle neck, matched with black boots.
Zendaya stepped out in a black shirt dress, accessorized with a black belt with a gold buckle and black heels.
While playing with puppies during a interview, the revealed that he would like to .
"I would be in I think I would be a really good Maddy," he said of the character portrayed by actress Alexa Demie. "I'm a big fan. I love the show and I love season 2. I visited a lot while they were shooting it and I really, really enjoyed it."
Holland added, "I would love to guest star or just be an extra in it.
Or maybe I am and you just don't know."
In a video shared by Sony on March 15, Holland, , and reunited to . The trio could be seen sharing a laugh as they watched a young Holland's audition tape for the superhero.
Ahead of Easter, in New York City on April 16.
During 's For Your Consideration event on April 20, Zendaya opened up to
about in helping to "free" her up from her role on the HBO show.
"I think it's great to have that support and love around you, because you need that," Zendaya told when asked about how Holland "pulls her out of the dark moments as Rue."
"This isn't an easy job, so it's good to have that to free you up from it every now and then," Zendaya added.
In honor of Holland's 26th birthday on June 1, on Instagram, writing, "Happiest of birthdays to the one who makes me the happiest <3."
Zendaya and Holland were photographed in Manhattan after grabbing coffee. The couple looked casual and comfortable, both wearing T-shirts and jeans.
The night before, the stars of MAMO restaurant, where they celebrated Zendaya's 26th birthday a day late.
Zendaya nodded to her belated birthday online, sharing a throwback photo on Instagram. In the caption, the actress , "I get to spend the day responding to the most beautiful messages (sorry I'm a little late) thank ya'll for filling my heart with so much love, I couldn't be more grateful 💕 Here's to 26!"
During a day date, the couple were spotted holding hands and . Zendaya looked chic in a button-down shirt dress, while Holland looked handsome in a striped sweater and black slacks.
In a video posted by Zendaya's nail artist on Instagram, fans caught a glimpse of the star's jewelry — a
The couple traveled to Mumbai for the opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. However, Zendaya and Holland walked the event's red carpet separately.
The star and her beau were later as they departed the country.
The couple at Park MGM's Dolby Live.
"When I tell you we barely had a voice by the end of this," Zendaya captioned a video on her Instagram Story. "Childhood dreams come true, going to an @usher concert."
Of course, the R&B star didn't let the evening end before shouting out the pair.
"Zendaya is in the house, ladies and gentlemen," Usher said to the crowd. "Tom Holland is in the house, ladies and gentlemen."
The couple in game 2 of the NBA playoffs. Zendaya, who was photographed enjoying a box of popcorn, and her beau were all smiles at the sporting event.
Producer Amy Pascal told that a fourth film staring Holland and Zendaya is , though development has paused due to the .
"Are we going to make another movie? Of course, we are,” she said. “We’re in the process, but the writers strike, nobody is working during the strike.
We’re all being supporters and whenever they get themselves together, we’ll get started."
In an interview with , Holland spoke about how he and Zendaya prefer to keep the details of their relationship relatively private.
“Our relationship is something that we are incredibly protective of and we want to keep as sacred as possible," the actor explained. "We don’t think that we owe it to anyone, it’s our thing, and it has nothing to do with our careers.
”
During an interview with UNILAD, Holland talked about his and mentioned that he once impressed Zendaya by fixing her door.
"I fixed my girlfriend's door once really early on in our relationship," he said. "I was hanging out at her house and her door was broken. I was like, 'I'm gonna fix that door for you.' And now we're in love."
On an episode of ,Holland shared that his relationship with Zendaya is what he holds "
."
"I don’t talk about it. I try my best to keep it as private as possible. We both feel very strongly that that is the healthiest way to move on as a couple," he said, adding that he feels most like himself when he's with the star.
Zendaya has accepted that her relationship with Holland is of public interest — but she still craves a life where paparazzi aren't tracking their every move.
“I can’t be a person and live my life and love the person I love," she told . "You can’t hide.
That’s not fun either. I am navigating it more than ever now.”
The star added that she's very selective about what she chooses to share with her fans and the media.
" and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist," she said.
In honor of Zendaya's birthday, Holland gave his girlfriend a sweet shout-out on Instagram.
"," he captioned a silly photo of the actress on a snorkeling excursion.
