When Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man trilogy costars Zendaya (MJ) and Tom Holland (Spider-Man/Peter Parker) first sparked dating rumors, fans of the friendly neighborhood super hero couldn’t get enough.
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Now, The Greatest Showman star — who has previously indicated she may not act with her boyfriend again after Spider-Man: No Way Home concludes the MCU trilogy on December 17, 2021 — has spoken out about the challenges that come with filming in public spaces.
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Zendaya told InStyle:
…[when she was] asked about the viral meme photo of her and Holland, sitting in a store with him in costume and her looking annoyed, she remembered the day that was taken—and how the paparazzi affected it: “We were shooting in New York, and you can’t block off streets because it’s public space,” she said. “It’s difficult for Tom, who has to be in the full Spidey suit; it’s not like he can be incognito. He has to take his spider eyes out just to drink water. I don’t remember if he’s drinking water in that picture, but I think his eyes are popped out.”
“The paparazzi can be wherever they want,” she continued. “Even our holding area was a vitamin store with glass everywhere, so it wasn’t super private. I’m assuming someone was looking through the window, trying to scare us or something. So that was my face.”
She also shared details about the “many things” she appreciates about her partner’s portrayal of Spider-Man and the pressure that comes with being one of the most popular, and recognizable, characters in the world:
“There are many things, obviously, that I appreciate,” she responded. “In an actor way, I appreciate that he really loves being Spider-Man. It’s a lot of pressure—you take on the role of a superhero wherever you go. To the little kid who walks by, you are Spider-Man. I think he handled that so well. And seeing him at work, even though he’s not a Virgo, he is a perfectionist,” she said with a laugh.
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The Shake It Up alum is keeping busy, even with her future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe uncertain. She recently portrayed Chani in Denis Villeneuve’s film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel “Dune”, which is set to hit theaters on October 22, 2021.
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Furthermore, the actress has already been cast in Villeneuve’s sequel, Dune: Part Two, and is rumored to be involved in a recently announced project entitled Megalopolis.
One thing that is certain? Zendaya’s happiness with Holland. She rounded out her interview by gushing:
“Yeah, he’s a fun time. Very charismatic, can make anybody feel comfortable and have a good laugh and a good chat. A good chat—I sound so British.”
More on Spider-Man: No Way Home
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Joining Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), the official description of Spider-Man: No Way Home reads:
For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Super Hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.
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Holland and Zendaya are joined by Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Stephen Strange), Jon Favreau (Happy Hogan), Marisa Tomei (Aunt May), Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds), and Alfred Molina (Doctor Octopus) in the film.
Are you excited about No Way Home?