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“Spider-Man: Homecoming” actor Tom Holland is known to be fiercely protective of his relationship with Zendaya, but a recent incident has sent fans into a frenzy.
The 28-year-old actress joined her beau for the launch of his new alcohol-free beer brand, Bero, in New York City on the night of Oct. 24. As soon as their SUV pulled up to the curb, photographers descended on the celebrity couple, who wore color-coordinated outfits, with Zendaya rocking a stunning floor-length burgundy dress.
The “Euphoria” star began signing autographs after she got out of the car as Holland continued walking without her. As she was swarmed by cameramen and fans holding phones to take pictures, Holland comes back yelling, “Get out the f—g way,” while pushing past two men.
Another voice can be heard saying, “Yo give her some room,” as the two men appear to tell Holland to calm down. “Tom, watch out. It’s OK, Tom.”
The duo has undoubtedly dealt with paparazzi before, but perhaps Holland’s spidey senses were tingling that night. A separate clip shows more of the chaos, including Holland pushing a Black photographer out of the way as he took Zendaya’s hand to lead her through the throng. The photographer appeared to be taking a photo of someone else and not Holland’s girlfriend.
A short clip of the encounter is circulating on social media, and fans have mixed reactions about Holland’s reaction.
wasn’t fully familiar with Mr. Holland’s game but this is a MAN pic.twitter.com/GgjpwTjhl4
— caliphornia QING (@caliphorniaqing) October 25, 2024
“I would have pushed him right back,” boasted one Instagram user, who felt the Marvel star crossed a line with the paparazzi. “I don’t care what he did. That man didn’t touch him. he could have asked him. Celebrity or not don’t touch me. Yall only defending him because he’s with Zendaya,” he explained, later adding that Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man) would be no match for him, “She would have had to pick Peter up playing with me lol.”
“That fact that most of yall are applauding this white man pushing this black king out of the way for doing his job, says so much about society today,” asserted another, but it was no use.
Support for Holland’s protectiveness over Zendaya flooded the comments section.
“Spider-Man does not play when it comes to Mary Jane” quipped one fan, referring to Zendaya’s Marvel character MJ (aka Michelle Jones).
A third video clip shows Holland snatching a sign out of Zendaya’s hand as one observer noted, “I’m sorry, but Zendaya’s face when he snatched it from her.”
Another suggested, “As he should, the man was in her face CHILL move out the way, let her breathe.”
The celebrity pair met while filming “Spider-Man: Homecoming” around 2016 and have gone to great lengths to keep their friendship and, later, their blossoming romance private. Holland, 28, once referred to their connection as “sacred” and could not stop gushing about the “Dune” actress to “Entertainment Weekly.” “She’s arguably the most talented person I’ve ever met. She’s amazing,” he beamed in a 2023 interview.
The female fans are here for it, with many scrutinizing the supposed “push.” Some joked that it was more like a polite nudge, speculating that Holland “said excuse me HELLA times prior to it.”
“He didn’t push no one. He just placed his hand on the man and guided him out the way gently lol there was no force at all,” explained one. “The love I want and love them coordinating outfits. They are couple goals and love they stay off the internet with their relationship unless it’s birthdays,” remarked another. “Tom Holland seems to be a man that appreciates what he has whilst he has it. Imagine That!”
Of the hundreds of comments, a few wondered what would happen if a Black celebrity had pushed a white photographer, with one alluding to the legendary battles Kanye West has had with aggressive paparazzi.
“But When Kanye do it ” said one, likely referring to the 2023 lawsuit against him for assault and battery after he grabbed a phone and threw it into the street.
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