Zendaya's dating history: From her ‘first love’ to those Jacob Elordi and Tom Holland rumors and heartbreaks
Zendaya has been in the news for all the right reasons. The actress — who recently stunned fans with her role in 'Malcolm & Marie' — seems to have garnered much critical acclaim and praise for the role and even racked up a nomination for Best Actress for her performance in the movie.
Born and raised in Oakland, California, the actor-singer first gained prominence with her Disney role and then also made a stint on 'Dancing with the Stars'. With a huge fan base that adores her, Zendaya has made quite a mark through the years in films and is set to receive the SeeHer Award at the 2021 Critics Choice Awards, which will be presented March 7, by her 'Malcolm & Marie' co-star John David Washington.
The award recognizes a woman who advocates for accurate portrayals of women and girls in advertising and media, which Zendaya does as Marie in Netflix's reflection of a dysfunctional, flawed relationship between two self-involved complex individuals who forget their privilege often. As the 24-year-old gets the trophy and sets the stage on fire again, here's a sneak peek into the dating history of the star who prefers to keep her love life private.
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Jacob Elordi
Romance rumors had begun when Zendaya was seen vacationing in Greece with her 'Euphoria' co-star Jacob Elordi in August 2019. Both stars have maintained they're just friends, but in February 2020, the two were spotted kissing in NYC. However, a few months later, the 'Kissing Booth' actor was photographed on a dinner date with 19-year-old model Kaia Gerber.
Cosmopolitan had reported that Elordi and Gerber were photographed having dinner together at Nobu’s Malibu location on the night of September 1, the same day as Zendaya's 24th birthday, prompting rumors that whatever relationship the two had was there no more.
Tom Holland
In the summer of 2017, Heightline reported that Zendaya began dating her 'Spiderman: Homecoming' costar Tom Holland. The actors initially denied anything romantic was going on between them until Kiya Cole, the mother of Zendaya's close friend, Skai Jackson, added fuel to the rumor mills. "Yes. It's true. They have been on the low for a while," she said in a response to a JustJared Instagram post about the actors.
However, Holland posted on Instagram soon after Cole's comment where he stated that Zendaya was just a "mate," and Zendaya also shut down the relationship rumors in an interview with Variety. "He's a great dude. He's literally one of my best friends," she said.
Odell Beckham Jr
Zendaya was rumored to be dating NFL player Odell Beckham Jr in 2016 after the duo was photographed leaving a Grammys afterparty together. TMZ obtained the footage of the two leaving. On being questioned if they were dating, Zendaya's father quickly stated, "It's an audition!" However, the romance rumors soon died down.
TMZ stated that "they were definitely acting coupley," with the 23-year-old NFL star opening the door for her and walking her into the waiting SUV.
Trevor Jackson
Zendaya co-starred in Jackson's music video for his 2013 track 'Like We Grown', where she played his love interest. The two insisted on their platonic bond, and Zendaya addressed the rumors head-on during Jackson's 18th birthday celebrations. "There's going to be those [rumors]," Zendaya told HipHollywood at the event. "But he's my best friend in the whole world. I love him to death . . . That's all it is."
Trevor also addressed the romance rumors and said, "We be laughing every time we hear it. I can understand why people think that because we are really close. But, no she's just my friend." Zendaya later opened up about having a secret boyfriend for four years in an interview with Vogue back in 2017. She said that they broke up shortly after he gave her a dog as a gift. She never named Jackson, but many speculated that he was the mystery man she was referring to when she shared, "It was my first love." She added, “It wasn’t a good ending.”
Wondering who she is dating right now? If recent reports are to be believed, she is currently single and tight-lipped about her relationships. Or else, if she is dating anyone, she ha not gone public about it.
In an interview, when asked what is the one thing she finds attractive in a person, she said, "What is the quality I would most like in someone? I would say...kindness is not the best way to describe it, but some people are just good people, and you can just feel it," adding, "I don't know how to explain that, but there's this little spark they have or this little special thing that they have that you just feel safe and happy around them. I don't know what that is, but some people have it, and it's special."