For a couple that fiercely guards their privacy, Zendaya and Tom Holland rarely offer glimpses into their life together. That’s why fans took notice when Zendaya shared unusually candid reflections on living between two worlds—California and London—and what it’s really like building a life with her fiancé away from Hollywood’s constant glare.
In a new interview with Daily Mirror, the Emmy-winning actress described Holland as not only her partner, but her creative safe space. Calling him her “favorite person to work with,” Zendaya addressed the common assumption that mixing romance and work must be complicated.
“Honestly, I know people might think it’s awkward,” she admitted. “On set, he has this huge calming presence that not only puts me at ease but also everybody he works with.” She added, with a smile, “I might be a little biased, but he is not only my favorite person—he is my favorite person to work with.”
That sense of calm appears to be central to how the couple manages both fame and intimacy. Zendaya explained that while neither of them wants to live in hiding, they are deeply intentional about protecting the parts of their lives that remain within their control.
“Neither of us want to hide and not live our lives and do normal things, like go out for dinner,” she said. “But at the same time, we want to protect our privacy. Some aspects of it are out of our control—but the parts that are in our control, we fiercely protect.”
When not filming, the couple divides their time between Holland’s home in Richmond, West London, and Zendaya’s longtime base in California. Though she was born in Oakland and raised in the U.S., Zendaya revealed that England has begun to feel like a second home.
“When I go to the UK, I don’t feel like a visitor anymore,” she explained. “I understand British slang, I get the culture, and I know a ‘nice cup of tea’ makes everything right.”
She even described landing in London as a comforting ritual. “It really feels like coming home, and I love the people,” she said—before delivering a playful punchline that instantly delighted fans.
“There is just one thing I’ll never understand,” Zendaya joked. “The fascination with Jaffa Cakes. They just don’t make sense to me.”
The comment, lighthearted and unmistakably relatable, perfectly captured the balance Zendaya and Holland seem to have found: global superstardom paired with ordinary domestic quirks. Between shared homes, shared sets, and shared jokes about British snacks, the couple continues to define their relationship on their own terms—quietly, intentionally, and far from the noise that surrounds them.