California-born actress Zendaya shared rare insight on living in London with her fiancé Tom Holland.
The Emmy-winner, 29, spoke about her costar-turned-lover, 29, in a new interview with the Daily Mirror published on Saturday, calling Holland her ‘favorite person to work with.’
Zendaya explained how they manage to successfully juggle their romance and professional ambitions while fiercely protecting their ‘privacy.’
‘Honestly, I know people might think it’s awkward,’ the actress said. ‘On set, he has this huge calming presence that not only puts me at ease but also everybody he works with.’
Zendaya continued: ‘I might be a little biased but he is not only my favorite person, he is my favorite person to work with.’
‘Neither of us want to hide and not live our lives and do normal things, like go out for dinner, but at the same time, we want to protect our privacy.
‘You have to accept that to a degree, some aspects of your privacy are going to be out of your control. But the parts that are in our control, we fiercely protect.’
When the pair aren’t working, they split their time between between Holland’s home in Richmond, West London and Zendaya’s home in California, where she has lived for the majority of her life.
The actress, who was born in Oakland and later moved to southern California with her family as a young teenager, told the outlet she adores living in England.
And for what she doesn’t like, Zendaya had a hilarious comment about a specific Great British delicacy.
‘I think because so much of our work is in LA, [the UK] can’t be a permanent home right now, but it does feel like a home to me,’ she said.
‘When I go to the UK, I don’t feel like a visitor anymore. I understand British slang, I get the culture, and I know a “nice cup of tea” makes everything right.’
About the times she gets the chance to fly to London, Zendaya said: ‘It really feels like coming home, and I love the people.
‘But I will never understand the fascination with Jaffa Cakes. They just don’t make sense to me,’ she jokingly added.
‘One thing you guys do really well is Indian food,’ she noted as she recalled a recent meal she had with Holland and his family. ‘We went to see a show just before Christmas and we had the best curry.’
In regards to her and her fiancé’s preference to keep their personal lives as private as possible, Zendaya cited her longtime career in entertainment and how she got her start as a child star.
‘I have a really complicated relationship when it comes to starting in the industry so young,’ said the former Disney star, who landed her breakout role on Disney Channel’s Shake It Up as a teenager.
‘On one hand, I am grateful for the opportunities and experience; then, on the other, there is no doubt I missed out on a lot of regular teenage stuff.’
She credited her mother and father for supporting her during her rise to fame.
‘My parents were and are super protective of me. I wouldn’t have been able to navigate being in the industry at such a young age without them.’
Zendaya and Holland first met while filming Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016.
The following year, the costars sparked romance rumors, and they later went on to confirm their relationship in July 2021 when they were photographed kissing in a car.
The acting couple are both starring in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey, which is set to premiere in theaters on July 17.
They are also starring opposite one another yet again in the new Spider-Man: Brand New Day movie set for release on July 31.
In addition to the release of their two films later this year, she is also gearing up for the release of Euphoria’s third and final season as well as gearing up for a wedding — a fictional one.
Ahead of exchanging vows, her first project to premiere this year is The Drama, in which she and another British actor, Robert Pattinson, play a couple set to be wed.
In the upcoming A24 romantic thriller, Zendaya and Pattinson play Emma and Charlie, respectively, whose relationship unravels just before their wedding.
The film, which was written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, is set to premiere on April 3.
