Tom Holland opens up about his relationship with Zendaya – and the couple’s Christmas plans

CNN
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Marvel star Tom Holland has opened up about his relationship with fellow actor Zendaya, saying she is the “best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

In a wide-ranging interview on the “Dish” podcast, released Wednesday, Holland revealed that the couple intend to spend Christmas together this year, along with Zendaya’s family.

“I am gonna be in America this year, I’ll be with my girlfriend’s family, which will be fun. Where we’ll be is a secret,” he told the podcast’s hosts Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett.

“I think what we’d like to start doing is, rather than spending it with each family each year, is to bring the families together. That’s what I think we want to do next time,” he added.

“This time, because we’re both actors, we’re terrible at organizing things. So it hasn’t happened yet. The thought’s there. The idea has been planted.”

As he discussed his Christmas plans and spoke about his own culinary skills, Holland said that he is “starting to venture into a lot of vegetarian cooking,” since Zendaya is a vegetarian.

“I’ve been in Boston these past few weeks and she’s been working so I’ve been doing a lot of the dinners. And they haven’t been great. There’s been a few ‘let’s just order-ins,’” he said.

“I do a really, really tasty chilli con carne. But I’ve started doing chilli con lentils. And it’s actually really good,” he added.

The pair, who met while filming “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” have kept their relationship largely out the spotlight, even as they became two of the world’s most famous actors, only occasionally sharing snapshots of it in interviews or on social media.

Understanding how they each cope with such fame is “where Zendaya and I have been such a strong couple… in the spirit of being able to relate with one another on something that is very, very unique,” Holland added.

Speaking about the benefits of appearing alongside one another onscreen, Holland said it was a “saving grace” that they had each another, adding: “Best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“It’s just that perfect thing when you’re on set and a director will give you a note that maybe you don’t agree with, or I know that she doesn’t particularly like, and it’s just that like familiar glance at each other of like, ‘can’t wait to talk about that later,’” the British star said.

And logistically, the pair working together is also cost effective. “Studios love it, one hotel room,” Holland quipped.

After appearing in three “Spider-Man” movies together, the couple will soon star in Christopher Nolan’s next project.

“It hasn’t started shooting. To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t know anything about it,” Holland said. “Everything is very very hush hush. I met with him. It was awesome. He kind of loosely pitched what it was. And I’m sure when he’s ready, he’ll announce what it is.”