Did Tom Holland and Ella Purnell date? What we know about actor’s dating history amid reports of getting engaged to Zendaya

Tom Holland’s relationship history has garnered significant interest among his fans since he sparked engagement rumors with longtime girlfriend, Zendaya.

The actors are officially engaged, and the confirmation comes from multiple outlets. A few sources reported to TMZ that the Spiderman actor proposed between Christmas and New Year’s “in a very intimate setting in one of Zendaya's family homes in the United States.”

Zendaya set the internet ablaze during the 82nd Golden Globes on Sunday, January 5, 2025, when she flaunted her huge engagement ring. However, as the sources told us, there are no plans for a wedding yet as they are busy with their respective work projects.

Here's what you clicked for! Before Tom Holland began his whirlwind romance with the Challengers actress, he was involved with Ella Purnell. The duo briefly dated back in 2017 when they were spotted together at a BAFTA afterparty, as reported by a few outlets.

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Who were the women in Tom Holland’s life before Zendaya?

Tom Holland dated a couple of women before he finally got involved with Zendaya. The two first met on the sets of Spider-Man: Homecoming but did not date until 2021.

Elle Lotherington

According to a report in PopSugar, Tom Holland dated his childhood sweetheart, Elle Lotherington, though he never confirmed the relationship. In 2015, when Holland landed the role of Spiderman, she tweeted, "Couldn't be a more proud girlfriend right now. Tom Holland, I love you. #spiderman."

Lotherington worked as a director and assistant director for brands like Samsung, Adidas, Nike, and PepsiCo. Reportedly, she and Holland parted ways in 2016 after they unfollowed each other on Instagram.

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Ella Purnell

It was a brief romance for Tom Holland and Ella Purnell as the pair was spotted getting close to each other during the BAFTA afterparty in February 2017. A report in The Sun confirmed that Tom danced with Ella during Harvey Weinstein’s bash at the Rosewood Hotel in London.

“He was out for a huge night and was leading her around the dance floor by the hand”, the source told The Sun.

It was reported that they left the venue together for The Dorchester hotel, where Holland was staying.

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Olivia Bolton

Tom Holland sparked dating rumors with Olivia Bolton in July 2019 when they were reportedly spotted together in London’s Hyde Park. They have been friends since they were kids. However, the reports suggested that they went separate ways in 2020.

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Nadia Parkes

Tom Holland dated Nadia Parkes in 2020. The two quarantined together during the summer, while Holland made his relationship Instagram official in July 2020, as reported by Daily Mail. The duo were reportedly introduced by mutual friends Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas before they split in 2021.

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Zendaya

The relationship between Zendaya and Tom Holland was confirmed by multiple outlets when they were spotted kissing each other at the back of a car in July 2021. A few months later, the Spiderman actor took to Instagram to share a photo with his now fiancée and wrote, “My MJ, have the happiest of birthdays. Gimme a call when your up xxx.”

In an Instagram post in December 2021, Zendaya referred to Holland as her Spiderman and wrote, “My Spider-Man, I’m so proud of you, some things never change and good thing.”

Ever since, the duo has been spotted attending several events together. However, the couple prefers to keep the details of their love life under wraps.

In an old interview with GQ, Holland expressed that he was adamant about keeping his “private life private.”