Tom Holland and Zendaya built their relationship on a healthy foundation. The 27-year-old actor revealed what he loves about his Spider-Man: No Way Home co-star during a SAG-AFTRA Q&A on December 1. While discussing transparency in receiving constructive criticism, Tom noted, “Zendaya is probably the most honest with me, which I love because you need that.” 

The Crowded Room actor also noted some of his other inspirations in the business who have been completely open with him when it comes to acting. He cited Robert Downey Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch as influential when critiquing his performances. 

“Downey is very honest — sometimes a little too honest,” Tom joked before adding, “I really respect Downey’s opinion. He taught me so much and I always sing his praises, and I love the guy. I admire him. I don’t know if you guys have seen Oppenheimer yet, but he’s absolutely staggering in it. He steals the movie for me. … Benedict Cumberbatch is someone that I ask for advice a lot about acting.”

Tom and Zendaya, 27, keep their romance out of the spotlight as much as possible, especially after photos of them kissing in the summer of 2021 were taken without their knowledge. Since then, the duo has limited making comments about each other in public. However, they’ve mentioned how their romance has been going just a few times over the past two years. Earlier this year, Tom declared his love for the Euphoria actress during a video interview with Buzzfeed.

“I’m locked up, so I’m happy and in love. So, I’ve got no need for rizz,” he said while smiling. Tom also noted that in order for anyone to “fall in love with me, really, for it to work,” is only by “making a movie with each other,” which is what he and Zendaya did in the three Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man films. 

“It definitely helps when the characters you’re playing are falling in love with one another,” the Cherry actor acknowledged. “You can sort of blur the lines a little bit.”

Tom also joked that despite getting off of Instagram for a while, he still received memes from the Greatest Showman actress “nonstop.” 

“I can’t keep up because I delete my Instagram for days at a time,” Tom noted. “I download it to post, and then I have to check my messages, and I’ll have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of things from her. And I try and keep up, but it’s intense.”