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Tom Holland, who plays Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, responded to all the hubbub surrounding the height difference between him and his sweetheart, Zendaya in an interview.
Since seeing their characters kissing in Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), the public was fixated on the couple's height difference.
Host Jessica Shaw touched on the public's obsession with this during a SiriusXM interview with Holland, Zendaya, and Jacob Batalon–who plays Ned Leeds in the MCU films.
You can watch the interview, here.
"I wanted to ask you guys because in Far From Home when MJ and Peter kissed, and Zendaya, you're taller than Tom, and it became this thing," Shaw said.
The cast chucked in response to the all-too-familiar talking point, and Holland was determined to "put this out there."
"Maybe like an inch or two at least," he said about their differences in height.
He added that fans would often ask how he and his onscreen/offscreen girlfriend managed to achieve the kiss in that scene and how "it must've been so difficult."
It feels like Tom Holland and Zendaya have spent a good chunk of the Spider-Man press tour justifying their height difference, which absolutely sucks. It. Does. Not. Matter. But unfortunately, the reason why people worry is it gets constantly brought up. https://t.co/d2Bqg16w5P
— Mathew Buck (@FB_BMB) December 12, 2021
Shaw clarified she only brought up the topic to inspire a conversation about the social stigma, calling it a "misogynistic thing" and a "problematic" assumption women should be shorter than men.
"I won't date below x height or bald people." Translation: I'm waving a red flag the size of California.
— Dan Wehnes (@dan_wehnes) December 12, 2021
Batalon added, "it's not a weird thing for women to be tall," to which Holland agreed, "Not at all, it's ridiculous."
Short dudes are outright dehumanized often and it's really really really really weird. People you'd expect to be super against it will do it, like it just genuinely doesn't cross a lot of minds that it wears people down.
— Krormwrorm (@krormwrorm) December 12, 2021
Holland, who admitted, "to be fair, I am quite short" went on to say that all the actresses who were tested for the role of MJ were taller than him because it may have been a decision that Spider-Man director Jon Watts made to possibly shatter a common stereotype.
The idea that the man has to be taller (usually significantly) is based on the idea that the man has to be the "dominant" part of the relationship, and is an inherently sexist idea. But you don't often see it in movies because they use trickery like boxes to avoid an 'issue'.
— Mathew Buck (@FB_BMB) December 12, 2021
It just seems like a nasty thing to pick on people about, given people have no control of their height or many other characteristics. When I see dating profiles that say "I won't date below X height or bald people", I feel like people are trying to make their partner in a lab.
— Mathew Buck (@FB_BMB) December 12, 2021
I think height, like baldness, is just another way of mocking men for not being "masculine enough". There are endless jokes about Tom Cruise being short when there are way more things you can actually criticize someone like him over. The latter doesn't make the former acceptable.
— Mathew Buck (@FB_BMB) December 12, 2021
Until she was older, Zendaya said she never thought of it "as a thing" and that "people cared" about the height difference between a man and a woman. She mentioned her mother is taller than her father. "Before that, I have no construct of it."
Why do people even care? I never noticed and so what? I love tall women. Plus, the two are in love. Let them live their Peter and MJ romantic life.
— SJWJamesBond Wants Nazis Banned ︽✵︽ Agent of GIRL (@mvbrat91) December 12, 2021
*Shrugs*
I don't know but dating a taller woman than me sounds very attractive so...
— Michael PE Singer 💛❤💙🤍 (@bigmick284) December 12, 2021
Especially with having an audience of younger fans, Shaw said it was "important" to address these issues.
"Thank you for bringing that up," Holland told Shaw. "I like that."
The 25-year-old confirmed he had been in a relationship with Zendaya, 24, in a cover story for GQ’s Men of the Year issue last month after a paparazzi photo of them making out inside a car while at an L.A. traffic stop "robbed" them of their privacy.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is the latest Spider-Man MCU adventure that is scheduled for a December 17 release in the U.S.