How Zendaya and Tom Holland’s secret love story unravelled on set, per costar

Zendaya and Tom Holland may have kept their romance out of the spotlight in the early days, but those on set saw the sparks flying.

According to K.C. Undercover star Tammy Townsend, the couple’s relationship quietly unfolded while Zendaya was simultaneously filming the Disney Channel series and Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017.

“I knew it was serious,” Townsend, 54, told People magazine as she reflected on the show’s 10th anniversary. “Tom would just come through and see what we were doing.”

Townsend, who played Zendaya’s mother on the show, revealed that while the duo kept things discreet, the chemistry between them was undeniable. “[We] definitely knew that there was a really strong connection,” she said, adding that Holland was “a really cool kid.”

Trinitee Stokes, who played Zendaya’s on-screen little sister, also recalled Holland hanging around set for weeks. “He’s so funny,” Stokes, 18, shared. “I love Tom, and I honestly have been so happy to watch this progression in their relationship because he’s such a great guy.”

What started as a quiet on-set connection soon became one of Hollywood’s most beloved relationships. While Zendaya and Holland denied dating rumours in 2017, everything changed in 2021 when they were spotted kissing. Holland later made things Instagram official, calling Zendaya “my MJ.”

Zendaya later reciprocated by calling Holland “my Spider-Man.”

Fast forward to 2025, and the couple is engaged — something Townsend and Stokes say was meant to be from the start.