Tom Holland & Zendaya Turn The Table on Hollywood Relationships

The BETTER Meghan and Harry Set a New Standard, and Gen Z Can’t Get Enough.

One of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood is going counter-cultural and setting a new standard for men everywhere.

In a new interview with Men’s Health Magazine, 28 year old Tom Holland, who has been in an 8-year relationship with co-star and world-famous triple threat Zendaya, shared that he wants to get married, have kids, and “disappear.” This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this from him. Holland’s desire to pursue present fatherhood is a far cry from what is often preached by Hollywood today-- "Golf and Dad", he outlines as his dreams.

The Spider-Man star has set a high bar for what a girl should look for in a man, far beyond his looks and skills but primarily through his value of family and honoring the women around him. In this recent article, rife with steamy photos of Holland posing as a burley mechanic, he also disclosed his reason for not wanting to walk the red carpet with his other half, sharing, “because it’s not my moment, it’s her moment, and if we go together, it’s about us.”

We have seen Tom publicly stick up for his girlfriend countless times against the paparazzi and the fight for her attention, and she has supported him and their privacy in turn. Famously, he fought through a swarm of paparazzi to grab her hand and save her from the mob of photographers and fans.

Tom's stance and desire to be a present and engaged father and husband is a rare sight in modern culture but emblematic of a broader return to family we see in Gen Z. Couples are getting married and having kids younger in select demographics and displaying the value of strong roots. Modern TV often portrays dads as fumbling and detached, but Holland’s values stand in direct opposition to that stereotype.

Ironically, Holland's British fame and Zendaya's bi-racial California roots are reminiscent of an ex-royal couple who have done everything wrong. However, the Spiderman stars are taking things in a completely different direction that cements them as unproblematic icons for Gen Z that pose a counter-cultural balance of hard work and family values.

As women embracing classical femininity, our other half is a large part of the success and trajectory of our dreams and aspirations. Finding a man that embraces the rare calling of fatherhood and engaged husbandry is possible, and hopefully, more men will follow in Tom Holland’s example. His actions remind us that masculinity and family go hand in hand, and the men in our lives play a vital role in shaping not just our futures but the future of society as a whole.

Tom and Zendaya are set to star side by side again in the next installment of Spiderman coming 2026, as well as the Christopher Nolan rendition of The Odyssey-- both sure to be a box office hit.