Zendaya had a surprisingly candid answer to question about parenthood with Tom Holland

She has to consider fame as a factor in raising children

Zendaya and Tom Holland pose at a photocall for "Spider-Man: No Way Home" at The Old Sessions House on December 5, 2021 in London, England.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Zendaya just opened up about her vision for future children.

In a new interview with Vogue, the actress detailed both what growing up in the spotlight was like for her, and what becoming famous basically overnight was like for her boyfriend and Spider-Man costar Tom Holland.

"I think growing up, I always felt like when someone asks for a picture, I have to do it, all the time," she explained.

"You have to say yes, because you need to be grateful that you’re here. And while I still feel that way, I also have learned that I can say no, and I can say kindly that I’m having a day off, or I’m just trying to be to myself today, and I don’t actually have to perform all the time."

The Dune star expressed that she absolutely loves making films, but that the level of hyper-fame she has reached doesn't feel particularly sustainable — especially if she is to have children in the future.

"Because I don’t necessarily want my kids to have to deal with this," she said. "And what does my future look like? Am I going to be a public-facing person forever?"

While Z didn't mention Tom in her vision for children, the two have been in a serious relationship since at least 2021 (there were dating rumours about them since as far back as 2017, which they denied at the time, according to Harper's Bazaar). The two show no sign of slowing down when it comes to their romance.

Zendaya went on to describe her ideal future as one where she could "make things and pop out when I need to pop out, and then have a safe and protected life with my family, and not be worried that if I’m not delivering something all the time, or not giving all the time, that everything’s going to go away."

Essentially, she wants to be able to hone the craft she's so good at but still enjoy a semblance of normalcy. We're manifesting that for her!

Zendaya's latest role is in Luca Guadagnino's Challengers, out 26 April.

Iris Goldsztajn
Iris Goldsztajn is a celebrity and royal news writer for Marie Claire. As a London-based freelance journalist, she writes about wellness, relationships, pop culture, beauty and more for the likes of InStyle, Women's Health, Bustle, Stylist and Red. Aside from her quasi-personal investment in celebs' comings and goings, Iris is especially interested in debunking diet culture and destigmatising mental health struggles. Previously, she was the associate editor for Her Campus, where she oversaw the style and beauty news sections, as well as producing gift guides, personal essays and celebrity interviews. There, she worked remotely from Los Angeles, after returning from a three-month stint as an editorial intern for Cosmopolitan.com in New York. As an undergraduate at the University of California, Los Angeles, she interned at goop and C California Style and served as Her Campus' national style and LGBTQ+ editor. Iris was born and raised in France by a French father and an English mother. Her Spotify Wrapped is riddled with country music and One Direction, and she can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.