In only a short time, Tom Holland has become one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world. The actor was practically an unknown in the US before he was cast as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man in 2015, but times certainly have changed. Still, like many celebrities, there has been a learning curve when it comes to stardom, and he needed a bit of help when it came to navigating his newfound fame. As it so happens, his Spider-Man co-star, Zendaya, is one of the people who’s helped him to do so. And one particularly important piece of advice came after Holland was “a bit of a dick” to some of his fans.
A major aspect of being a celebrity is interacting with your fans, and this is especially true if you’re part of a franchise as popular as the MCU. Tom Holland recently recalled that he initially wasn’t all that comfortable in public settings with fans and even described himself as unintentionally being “a bit of a dick” to them at times. Luckily for him, Zendaya offered some keen words of wisdom for interacting with his admirers:
Talking to Zendaya’s helped me a lot, actually. I used to come across sometimes as a bit of a dick to fans, mainly as I was always so surprised that they’d want a picture with me or signature or whatever. I’d have the typical Londoner reaction, one of instant suspicion: ‘Why are you talking to me?’ Zendaya spotted this and quickly told me that this sort of reaction was going to be more aggro than just smiling and taking the picture. She totally changed the way I am able to be more comfortable in public.
Based on Tom Holland’s comments to British GQ, he really appreciated Zendaya’s suggestion to steer clear of reactions that would seem somewhat cold to fans. It’s honestly hard to believe Holland would have acted somewhat cold towards fans, given his jovial demeanor. Still, you can imagine that most celebrities would have to get adjusted to meeting with fans.
Zendaya would know better than most how best to interact with the general public. The 24-year-old actress has been in the acting game for a little while now, having gotten her start on Disney Channel in 2010 with Shake it Up. So at this point, she’s practically a pro when it comes to celebrity life.
Tom Holland and Zendaya appear to have become incredibly close since they began working on the Spider-Man franchise. Past dating rumors aside, the two have become great friends, and fans love their dynamic both on and off camera. Holland has also spoken about the amount of fun he, Zendaya and co-star Jacob Batalon have while working on the movies. And it seems that joy has only extended to their current work on Spider-Man: No Way Home.
It’s always nice to see castmates get along well, but it’s even sweeter to see them lend support and aid in aspects of each other’s personal lives. Zendaya’s advice seems to have really impacted Tom Holland, and he’ll only be better for it in the long run.
Spider-Man: No Way Home opens in theaters on December 17, 2021.
