Full Breakdown
Tom Holland Publicly Calls Zendaya His Wife During “Dish” Podcast
7/22/2026, 12:21:01 PM
Core Event
The comment marked the first time Holland referred to Zendaya as his wife in a public interview, coming a month after the couple’s private marriage was confirmed in a June 16 Esquire profile. Holland added a joke about taking co-star Matt Damon to Mykonos, prompting host Nick Grimshaw to quip about spending ten days there with Damon.
Background & Context
Holland and Zendaya first met while filming *Spider-Man: Homecoming* (2017) and publicly confirmed their romance in July 2021. In June 2026, Holland addressed circulating AI-generated images that falsely depicted their wedding and clarified that a private ceremony with family had taken place, refusing to share further details. Their relationship has been a recurring topic in press tours for the Christopher Nolan epic *The Odyssey*, which also stars Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Robert Pattinson.
Timeline of Public Mentions
- June 16, 2026 – Holland discusses the false AI wedding images in an Esquire profile, confirming a private ceremony.
- June 23, 2026 – Holland and Zendaya attend a *Spider-Man: Brand New Day* photocall in Rome.
- July 16, 2026 – In a Wired interview, Holland jokes that Zendaya’s Athena is “married to me.”
- July 21, 2026 – People reports Holland’s appearance on the *Dish* podcast, where he calls Zendaya his wife.
- July 22, 2026 – The *Dish* episode airs, featuring the “wife” comment and the Greece-vacation joke.
- July 17 (scheduled) – Release of *The Odyssey*, the film that brought the couple together on screen.
- July 30 (scheduled) – Theatrical debut of *Spider-Man: Brand New Day*, reuniting Holland and Zendaya.
Official Statements & Responses
Holland’s remarks on the podcast were light-hearted, emphasizing his desire to spend a Greek holiday with Zendaya rather than a co-star. Damon laughed and affirmed the answer.
Earlier, during a People interview about *The Odyssey*, Holland recounted telling Zendaya about the Nolan project: he said he “offered” the movie, she asked “By who?” and he replied “It’s the big one,” confirming the director as Christopher Nolan. Holland also recalled Zendaya warning, “I’ll leave you if you don’t do ‘The Odyssey.’”
Verbatim Quotes
- “I sat down with Z and was like, ‘I’ve been offered this movie,'” — Tom Holland
- “I’ll leave you if you don’t do ‘The Odyssey,’” — Tom Holland
- “And she was like, ‘By who?’ And I was like, ‘It’s the big one.’ And she was like, ‘Chris?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, it’s Chris Nolan.’” — Tom Holland
- “Did Athena [played by Zendaya] love Odysseus [Damon] romantically?” — Tom Holland
What’s Next
Following the July 17 release of *The Odyssey*, Holland and Zendaya will appear together again in *Spider-Man: Brand New Day*, slated for a July 30 theatrical launch. Their continued collaboration suggests further joint promotional appearances, during which the couple may address lingering public curiosity about their private wedding.
