Here’s a fun story to start off your week. The Cutest Celebrity Couple, Zendaya and Tom Holland, were spotted playing basketball at an Oakland, California middle school over the weekend. They were there alongside actor and basketball player Elvin Rodriguez, Harlem Globetrotters player Sam Diaz, former Bachelorette contestant Christon Staples, and more as a part of an event organized by local nonprofits. Pictures and videos show them shooting hoops, making speeches, doing tricks, and hugging children.
Celebrity couple and Spider-Man costars Zendaya and Tom Holland made a surprise visit to an Oakland middle school on Friday, where they showed off some basketball skills to a crowd of onlookers.
Photos and videos posted to Zendaya’s Instagram story show the pair in her hometown, attending a basketball game at West Oakland Middle School. They were there as part of a event organized by local nonprofits Hoopbus and Project Backboard.
In Zendaya’s story, Holland is seen dribbling a basketball and wearing a T-shirt by local clothing brand Oaklandish that reads, “Oakland Roots.” A video posted by “Hustle” actor and basketball player Elvin Rodriguez shows Zendaya assisting him with a layup on the court.
Another video posted by Regular Hoops shows Harlem Globetrotters player Sam Diaz teaching Holland how to spin a basketball.
Hoopbus operates out of a retrofitted 40-foot yellow school bus that is driven around the country. Members teach students about racism and racial inequalities via basketball demonstrations. Project Backboard renovates basketball courts at public schools using colorful, large-scale artwork.
“I just came to say hi to all of you, see your beautiful faces, and have a great time,” Zendaya said in a speech given to the crowd.
Zendaya was raised in Oakland and attended Oakland School for the Arts.
I love this so much! I checked out Zendaya’s, Rodriguez’s, and a bunch of other Instagram accounts that posted pictures and stories from the event over the weekend and it looked like everyone was having a blast. Personally, I really enjoy stories like this, where lowkey celebs show up to a community event, don’t act like divas or a-holes, raise money or awareness for a good cause, and don’t have any ulterior motive. Bonus points if they have ties to the community.
Tom and Zendaya have reportedly been together since 2021. They keep their relationship pretty private by Hollywood standards and never seem thirsty for attention. I don’t think they walk a lot of red carpets together, either, which – respect – but I wish they would! It looks like the most public thing they tend to do is comment on each other’s Instagram posts with lovey-dovey emojis. I do hope they start doing more things like this together. It makes me like them even as a couple even more than I do now. If you’re interested in checking out the nonprofits that put together the basketball event they are Project Blackboard, Oakland Roots, Oaklandish, and Hoopbus.
More of Zendaya visiting West Oakland Middle! pic.twitter.com/E0NppsqNVQ
— Zendaya Updates (@Zendaya_Updated) August 26, 2023
Tom Holland and Zendaya at West Oakland Middle School in Oakland, CA. pic.twitter.com/P48CcOvfjr
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 25, 2023
Photos via Instagram
I don’t get too excited about celebrity couples but I am invested in these two! I will be sad if/when they split and so disappointed if they turn out to be secret @ssholes.
They’re not Superheroes, they’re are humans.
Sure, Jan.
Pinkosaurus, we are so jaded, but it feels so inevitable. That they split or turn out to be assholes, or both.
They both seem to be grounded and doing work on themselves – everyone should – as well as philanthropy being important to both of them.
Tom announced a while back he was taking a break for his mental health. And he’s close enough to his family and brothers that they would drag his ass back down to earth if he got full of himself.
Meanwhile Z is an icon who disappears for months to work on projects and doesn’t chase fame or try to be in the public eye.
I wish them all the best. It’s a hard world out there. Harder in some fields than others to make things work.
Or they could be the next SMG and Freddie Prinze Jr. They’ve been married 25 years.
I love this! Love them both and love them together.
Thank you for linking to the non-profits and not just talking about the celebs.
Rosie doing the good work 🙂
Zendaya grew up in Oakland and her sister is the organizer of one of the charities. She sponsored the event and Tom played. It was incredibly sweet. They’ve been together for a long time now, if you know their history.
I love this, and I love Tom showing up to support her sister.
Zendaya is also so damn pretty.
Very cool way to spend their free time during the strike.
I live in Oakland and we love Zendaya!!! Want to mention though that that is not a list of non-profits. Oaklandish and Oakland Roots are local businesses, not non-profits. Wonderful, community-driven businesses we are very proud of!
@SophieJara – Thank you for the clarification! 🙂
I love them so much! And Zendaya is 26 and still looks 16 in these photos. Also I love how both of them are so involved in charity. Tom and his brothers have their own non-profit and this charity event was organized by Zendaya’s sister.
Word on some sectors of Hollywood is that Zendaya is lesbian/bisexual and she will be coming out in the next 10 years or so. This relationship is primarily contractual but friendly and loving. It is so nice that they use their power to uplift others, no matter what is happening behind closed doors.
Source: i read seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo too many times
LOL, right?!
Girl, bye