Lead
One year after subtly confirming her engagement to Tom Holland at the 2025 Golden Globes, Zendaya told Interview Magazine what relationship signals she pays attention to. In a conversation with her The Drama co-star Robert Pattinson, the actor named specific behaviors she finds revealing. Zendaya highlighted how a person treats crew members and animals as practical indicators of character. The remarks come amid sustained public interest in the couple, who began dating after meeting on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017.
Key Takeaways
- Zendaya spoke to Robert Pattinson for an Interview Magazine feature published in 2025 about relationships and new film projects.
- She pointed to how people treat production crews as a clear sign of character, saying crew perspectives reveal off-camera behavior.
- Zendaya described treatment of animals—specifically dogs—as a dealbreaker and said she would defend her pet if needed.
- The engagement to Tom Holland was publicly acknowledged when Zendaya wore a prominent diamond ring at the 2025 Golden Globes.
- Tom Holland reportedly proposed between Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2024, according to TMZ; the couple first sparked dating speculation in 2017.
- Zendaya emphasized nuance, saying people are “layered and complex,” and that initial impressions can both mislead and illuminate.
Background
Zendaya and Tom Holland met on the Spider-Man: Homecoming set in 2017, and their relationship has been closely observed since. Both actors have generally kept private details out of the public eye, sharing milestones selectively. In late 2024 industry reports—most notably from TMZ—said Holland proposed sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Eve; Zendaya later appeared at the 2025 Golden Globes wearing a large diamond on her left hand.
The Interview Magazine conversation folded personal reflection into publicity for new work: Zendaya and Robert Pattinson discussed relationships alongside three upcoming film projects. Zendaya’s comments fit a broader celebrity pattern of using interviews to articulate personal values while promoting creative efforts. The focus on crew treatment reflects long-standing industry conversations about on-set culture and respect for behind-the-scenes workers.
Main Event
During the interview, Zendaya said she pays attention to how people behave around crew members because those workers witness moments when cameras are off. She framed that observation as practical: crews see patterns of courtesy or disregard that public-facing interactions may hide. Zendaya told Pattinson that kindness to everyone—beyond principal cast and directors—is a meaningful sign of character.
She also cited animals as a concrete test of temperament. Zendaya said she would “get into a fight” over her dog, using that example to explain why animal treatment matters to her when judging someone. In the interview she linked small acts of consideration to broader moral habits: how a person treats a vulnerable being or someone with less power often mirrors their general empathy.
Pattinson asked whether it’s possible to know someone quickly, and Zendaya answered with nuance: instincts can register red flags, but people change and cultural contexts shape behavior. She described people as “layered and complex,” arguing that there are both immediate cues of rudeness or cruelty and deeper sides that may reveal themselves over time. The exchange weighed intuition against the caution of assuming permanence from first impressions.
Analysis & Implications
Zendaya’s emphasis on crew treatment aligns with industry efforts to improve workplace norms and accountability. Public statements by high-profile performers can shape hiring and etiquette expectations on sets, where power imbalances have previously allowed misconduct to go unchecked. If leading actors model consistent respect for crews, that may reinforce standards across productions.
Highlighting animal treatment as a selection criterion taps into a broader social trope—pets as moral litmus tests—that resonates with many audiences. For celebrities whose personal brands partly rest on relatability and values, naming concrete dealbreakers offers clear signals to fans and peers about boundaries in private life.
The comments also matter commercially. Zendaya and Holland remain bankable stars whose personal milestones—dating timeline, engagement, public appearances—feed media interest and, indirectly, project publicity. How they present their relationship affects fan engagement, press coverage, and the tone of interviews tied to film promotion.
On a cultural level, the exchange underscores tension between instantaneous judgment and long-term observation. Zendaya’s stance—allowing for both quick impressions and later revelations—reflects a middle path that recognizes intuition while warning against definitive conclusions based solely on brief encounters.
Comparison & Data
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Zendaya and Tom Holland meet on the Spider-Man: Homecoming set |
| Late Dec 2024 | TMZ reports Holland proposed between Christmas and New Year’s Eve |
| Jan 2025 | Zendaya wears a large diamond at the 2025 Golden Globes, signaling engagement |
The timeline shows a public arc from private dating rumors to a visible engagement indicator at an awards show. That trajectory—years of low-key privacy followed by a single high-profile confirmation—mirrors other celebrity engagements where couples balance discretion with moments of public acknowledgment.
Reactions & Quotes
“A very telling thing is how a crew feels about a particular actor, because they get to see how people are when the cameras are not rolling.”
Zendaya, Interview Magazine
Zendaya framed crew feedback as a window into off-camera behavior; this quote was given while promoting new films and reflecting on personal values.
“Dogs are a good judge of character.”
Zendaya, Interview Magazine
She used the line to illustrate why animal treatment is a concrete measure for her; the remark was part of a broader point about small actions revealing larger traits.
“Do you believe you can instinctively know someone, or at least have a pretty clear version of who that person is, within seconds of meeting them?”
Robert Pattinson, Interview Magazine
Pattinson posed the question that prompted Zendaya’s nuanced answer about intuition versus long-term knowledge. The exchange balanced promotional and personal topics in a single sit-down.
Unconfirmed
- The precise date of Tom Holland’s proposal is reported by TMZ to be between Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2024; neither Holland nor Zendaya issued a public timeline confirming that window.
- Details about private conversations on set and behind-closed-doors behavior are represented here via Zendaya’s public interview and crew perspectives; independent verification of specific private interactions is not available.
Bottom Line
Zendaya used a high-profile interview to outline pragmatic criteria she uses when evaluating potential partners—how they treat behind-the-scenes staff and animals. Those anchors are less about celebrity signaling and more about practical markers of consistent behavior, according to her remarks. The comments arrive after a year of public attention on her relationship with Tom Holland, punctuated by a visible engagement at the 2025 Golden Globes.
For audiences and industry colleagues, her approach underscores a preference for observable, everyday actions over curated public-facing moments. As both stars continue to work and promote projects, those little tests of character may influence public perceptions as much as red-carpet appearances.
Sources
- InStyle — Entertainment reporting summarizing Interview Magazine (entertainment news)
- TMZ — Report on reported proposal timing between Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2024 (tabloid/entertainment reporting)
- Interview Magazine — Original interview feature with Zendaya and Robert Pattinson (primary interview source)