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Fans binge Tom Holland and Zendaya's epic 2017 lip sync battle to celebrate their engagement

NO ONE expected this performance from Tom Holland.

Image credit: Lip Sync Battle/YouTube

Tom Holland and Zendaya competed on Lip Sync Battle in 2017.

Every once in a while, a celebrity will pull out a surprising talent that hasn't really been showcased in their work, like Jake Gyllenhaal having a lovely singing voice or Steve Martin playing the banjo or Mark Ruffalo being able to ride a unicycle. But few celebrity surprises have delighted fans as much as Tom Holland's unabashed dance talent in his epic Lip Sync Battle performance against Zendaya.

The couple went head-to-head on Lip Sync Battle in 2017, the same year they met and first began dating. With the official announcement of Holland and Zendaya's engagement, fans have been binge-rewatching Holland's number, calling it a pivotal moment in his and Zendaya's relationship. Whether that's true or not, it's definitely a must-see, as the Spider-Man actor's unexpected moves and 100% commitment to the act still has people marveling years later.

After Zendaya held her own with a "24K" Bruno Mars impersonation in the Lip Sync Battle episode, Holland started his off with "Singin' in the Rain." Donning a classic suit and fedora and dancing with an umbrella, he appeared to be going for an ode to Frank Sinatra's original performance. But after about 20 seconds, Holland ducked behind a group of open umbrellas at the back of the stage, a group of backup dancers came out, and the music suddenly changed to Rihanna's "Umbrella."

When Holland burst back onto the stage in fishnet tights, a leotard, and a wig, the whole vibe shifted drastically, and it's safe to say no one expected the performance that was to come. Watch:

The confidence. The commitment. The slapping of the water. The backflip. Holland comes from a theater and dance background, so his stage talents shouldn't come as too much of a shock, but even Zendaya appeared floored by the sheer boldness and how Holland owned that dance number. Since their engagement was announced, some fans have pointed to Zendaya's delighted reaction as the moment she knew he was "the one."

"He owned this performance. And her reaction is so cute."

"He did the mating dance ritual, it was set in stone."

"She killed it with Bruno Mars then he comes out like this. It was insane. They both went all in. Go big or go home. They are perfect for each other."

"For many women, seeing a man be that secure and confident in who he is not be stupidly preoccupied with what others may think of his masculinity is very much a turn on."

"This felt like a man that would do anything to make his woman smile and that my friends, is what we call a keeper."

You can watch the entire Lip Sync Battle, including Zendaya's performance, here:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

People have been enamored with Holland and Zendaya's relationship for years. Despite trying to maintain some privacy in their personal lives, their genuine adoration for each other comes across clearly in the way they speak about one another publicly.

The couple started off as friends during the filming of "Spider-Man: Homecoming," with Zendaya helping Holland navigate his burgeoning fame.

"We are like the best of friends. She's so great and amazing," Holland told People magazine in 2017. "I'm a little worried [about dealing with fame … but] Zendaya is super famous and she's been through this, and I just call her up and say, 'How do I manage being famous?' I'm very glad I have a friend like her."

The two began dating in secret and have attempted to shield their relationship from the pitfalls that come with the public eyes, which isn't easy to do in the age of paparazzi and social media.

""Our relationship is something that we are incredibly protective of and we want to keep as sacred as possible," Holland told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023. "We don't think that we owe it to anyone, it's our thing, and it has nothing to do with our careers."

Fair enough. Fan do enjoy seeing them make each other laugh in interviews together, though, and the engagement news has been met with lots of congratulations and good wishes. Here's to the happy couple—may they continue to delight and surprise one another for years to come.

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What is the 'digital divide'? Zendaya grew up in it. And she wants it closed.

For Amanda Acevedo, getting on the honor roll meant fighting through a lot of physical pain.

The 10-year-old from East Harlem, New York, didn't have a reliable computer at home or school to complete her assignments in the evening. In order to keep up in class, she was often left with no choice but to write out entire essays using her thumbs on her mother's cell phone.

Can you imagine?

[rebelmouse-image 19531949 dam="1" original_size="500x256" caption="GIF via "Without a Net: The Digital Divide In America."" expand=1]GIF via "Without a Net: The Digital Divide In America."

Rory Kennedy couldn't — until she witnessed it herself.

“[Acevedo] would sit there and you would hear her thumbs crack and she would talk about it being painful," explains a dumbfounded Kennedy, director of the film, "Without a Net: The Digital Divide in America," which features Acevedo's story.

I'm speaking with Kennedy at the documentary's New York Film Festival premiere on Oct. 3, where a number of the film's supporters — most notably, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" star Zendaya — rallied behind its cause. "I thought, my God," Kennedy continues, as we chat a few minutes before her film debuts to a full house. "We are making it physically painful for poor kids to learn in this country.”

"Without a Net" shines a light on the discrepancies between the haves and have-nots when it comes to technology in our public schools.

The film paints a startling picture.

In wealthier districts, students tend to have far more tech resources at their disposal than students in poorer ones. A Pennsylvania high school in "Without a Net," for instance, boasts a popular, well-funded robotics course, but just a few miles away, another school struggles to integrate even a few basic computers into its curriculum. The money's just not there.

It's a "digital divide" that'll cost us in more ways than one if we don't act. By 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates 77% of all jobs will require computer skills — a figure that will only increase throughout the following decades. This issue isn't just about equality, it's about long-term economic security too. If future generations don't have the necessary skills for 21st-century jobs, we'll all be left behind.  

For Zendaya, the "digital divide" hits particularly close to home.

[rebelmouse-image 19531950 dam="1" original_size="750x533" caption="Zendaya at the screening of "Without A Net: The Digital Divide in America." Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Verizon Foundation." expand=1]Zendaya at the screening of "Without A Net: The Digital Divide in America." Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Verizon Foundation.

The Hollywood star, who eagerly threw her support behind Kennedy's documentary, is an ambassador to the #WeNeedMore campaign by Verizon — an effort to make tech more accessible in underfunded schools. The telecom giant co-produced the film.

Stories like Acevedo's, Zendaya says, hit close to home.

"I grew up in [the digital divide]," she explains, dressed in a glittery gown on the red carpet — worlds away from the working class Oakland, California, community where she was raised. "It’s something that I’ve lived firsthand." As a child, Zendaya attended a well-resourced private school where her dad worked and had the privilege of benefiting from financial aid. But her mom taught at a struggling school in the area's public school system; the stark contrast left a lasting impression on the actor.

"How do you have a school where kids are able to experiment with coding and build robots and then you have schools that don’t even have Wi-Fi?" Zendaya continued. "What are you telling those children?"

As Zendaya notes, pointing to her learnings from the film, the solution isn't to go out and buy a bunch of iPads either. It's more complicated than that.

"Without a Net" dove into the three major barriers keeping tech inaccessible for millions of students:

  1. There's a lack of tech products in schools. Thousands of schools simply don't have the funds to buy every student a laptop or create classes like coding and robotics.
  2. There's a lack of internet connection in schools. Particularly in poorer, rural areas of the country, connecting to high-speed internet is surprisingly difficult and astonishingly expensive. Despite progress in recent years, 23% of school districts still don't have sufficient bandwidth to meet the needs for digital learning, according to the Education SuperHighway.
  3. There's a lack of tech-trained teachers in schools. Even if products are available and the internet's up and running, training teachers on how to use the products in their classrooms is quite costly. In fact, 60% of teachers feel they haven't been adequately trained on using technology in the classroom, a 2015 survey by Samsung found.

"The things my mom had to do just to get computers in the classroom or just to get Wi-Fi or just get arts education," Zendaya said, shaking her head in frustration. She may have blossomed into a Hollywood movie star, but she's clearly still agitated by the injustice undermining her hometown. "[My mom] worked too hard to do something that should just be there."

One thing those three major barriers have in common? Yep, you spotted it: They all cost money. Lots of it. And inner-city schools, like Acevedo's in New York City, as well as a good number of rural districts simply do not have that funding.

School funding is largely contingent — and arguably overlydependent — on local property taxes.

In affluent communities, where businesses are flourishing and property values are high, public schools reap the benefits in their bank accounts. In districts where business is scarce and property values are lower, the local tax pool schools dependent on is significantly reduced. As the film noted, this massive inequality — seen in metropolitan areas like Detroit, Philadelphia, and Chicago — means some schools have the funds for more and better qualified teachers, nutritious lunches, innovative art programs, and classroom technologies, while others barely make ends meet.

A Chicago student protests cuts to public school funding in 2013. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

We desperately need change. And you can be part of it.

Kennedy is encouraging viewers to hold public screenings of her film — which is free to view on YouTube, as seen below — to raise public awareness of the issues at play and push for change at the grassroots level.

But students can play a role in making a difference too. Zendaya hopes underserved kids who see the film feel inspired to speak out in their own communities and challenge the status quo. Their futures are worth it, after all.

"Your voice is powerful, your voice is strong," she says. "It’s OK to go ahead and ask for what you think you deserve."

Watch "Without a Net: The Digital Divide in America," below and learn more at DigitalDivide.com.

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These 5 millennials are changing the name — and age — of activism right now.

For many years, critics and studies denounced young people for not voting or being apathetic toward politics and activism.

In the past few years, though, a number of teens, tweens, and everything in between have been outspoken on topics such as race, gender, class, and sexuality, raising the awareness level of passionate young people around the globe.    

From crushing the patriarchy to advocating for better educational facilities for historically underserved kids, these adolescents are showing the world that age ain't nothin' but a number, but it's a number that, when used right, can change the world.  

Check out these young activists:

1. 17-year-old Yara Shahidi

Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for H&M.

A winner of the Young, Gifted and Black Award from BET and a recipient of college recommendation letters from Michelle Obama, actress Shahidi is using her brilliance, grace, and youth to change the world.

The "Black-ish" and soon-to-be "Grown-ish" actress has spoken openly and lovingly about being an informed, outspoken teenager in an age of fake news and twisted ideology on American values. She's defended immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ folks, and other groups often targeted by hate and bigotry while also using her platform as an example for young women of color.  

"For me, just by being on a show called 'Black-ish,' race became an unavoidable conversation," Shahidi told Teen Vogue. "It gave me this platform to address these topics, and that opened the doors to develop my voice in an intentional way."

An outspoken fan of James Baldwin that's headed to Harvard, it's clear that Shahidi is one of many paving the way for young activists to make their voices heard.  

2. 18-year-old Amandla Stenberg

Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images for WE Day.

Stenberg has been a trailblazer for young, queer women of color. The bisexual, biracial actress and singer shut down critics who complained that her portrayal of Rue in "The Hunger Games" was problematic back when she was still a young tween. Since then, Stenberg has given speeches on authenticity, spoken out against racism and white supremacy, worked to provide spaces for queer people of color, and continuously advocates for black women to unapologetically be their true selves.

The rising star continues to use her work in art and music to increase representation and is extremely dedicated to amplifying the voices of teenagers.

"I think people discredit teenagers and how wise they can be," Stenberg said in an Instagram post. "Sometimes, I meet teenagers who are much wiser than many adults I've met, because they haven't let any insecurities or doubts about themselves get in the way of their thoughts."

3. 21-year-old Zendaya

Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.

OK, OK, so Zendaya technically is not a teenager, but the Disney star and outspoken activist made some serious waves during her teenage years and continues to do so as she gets older. After dropping her publicist for making racist comments, Zendaya speaks out about racism in the television industry and its disproportionate effects on young black women.

4. 15-year-old Rowan Blanchard

Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Glamour.

The breakout star of "Girl Meets World" gained notoriety when she penned a heartfelt and eloquent letter after the show was cancelled. The TV star praised her own generation — often criticized for being lazy — as being "extraordinary" and capable of creating a better world.

"Teens determine and influence all of this in general, and I hope and think our show reflects you for how you are: brave, opinionated, audacious, devoted, dynamic, loving, nurturing, and powerful. ... I will continue to fight to not be talked down to by the shows, books, and movies, that are aimed towards us. I am sorry that this channel is just not able to understand that (don’t think for a moment this happened because of you.) But I know what we are capable of. I know very well what we did. I am above all humbled to know I belong to such an extraordinary generation. What an honor."

She's kept her promise to continue working to change the world by advocating on the behalf of young girls, encouraging diverse representation, and committing to being an activist, even when the cause doesn't affect her.  

"To me, activism is a need to know, a need to explain, and a need to help," Blanchard told Teen Vogue. "At first I was very scared of the term. I thought, 'Am I actually doing enough?' Then I realized that oftentimes existing is activism in itself."

5. 16-year-old Willow Smith

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images.

As a singer, Smith has become very popular within R&B and indie circuits, but her work outside the studio is even more revolutionary. The 16-year-old has been vocal in calling out white supremacy and class discrimination, while also being an advocate for changing gender norms and creating safe spaces for people who don't fit the binary. The young star continues to perform in speak in ways to are revolutionary in their existence, and it's clear she is just beginning.

Honorary mention: 24-year-old Chance the Rapper

Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images.

While Chance the Rapper is also beyond his teen years, his impact on youth and teen culture is remarkable.

Often referred to as "the voice of our generation," the young rapper has utilized social media to create opportunities for teens and young adults, has been outspoken against police brutality, racism, and classism, and has raised millions of dollars for Chicago Public Schools.

Whether it's advocating for the arts in schools or crooning to a crowd desperate for relief from a toxic political climate, Chance has been a source of joy, love, and pure excellence, setting an example for millions and teens and young adults around the world.  

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Watch Zendaya’s powerful Teen Choice speech in the wake of Charlottesville.

About 2,500 miles stood between the bright lights of Hollywood and the flickering candles at vigils in Charlottesville, Virginia, when Zendaya took the stage at the Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The horrors of the weekend still wore heavy on the hearts of many in attendance, and Zendaya, who has never shied away from speaking her mind, didn't let her moment go to waste.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

The 20-year-old star won "Choice Summer Movie Actress" for her role in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and used her acceptance speech to encourage young people to stand up for what's right.

“'Spider-Man' is about a young person," Zendaya began. "And so right now I want to talk to all the young people in the audience."

She continued (emphasis added):

"With all the injustice and the hatred and everything that is happening — not only in the world, but in our country — right now I need for you young people, I need you guys to be educated, I need you to listen, I need you to pay attention, and I need you to go ahead and understand that you have a voice and it is OK to use it when you see something bad happening."

Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images.

Zendaya wasn't alone in her call to action. While no one specifically mentioned Charlottesville, a number of Teen Choice attendees alluded to the atrocities that happened there over the weekend and promoted hopeful messages of unity, including "Black-ish's" Yara Shahidi and Fifth-Harmony's Lauren Jauregui.

Their messages were ones Americans needed to hear.

The Teen Choice Awards aired as the country was still reeling from unconscionable acts of bigotry and violence.  

On Aug. 11, horrifying images of hundreds of white nationalists marching on the University of Virginia, burning torches in hand, went viral across Facebook and Twitter.

The following day, a "Unite the Right" conference in Charlottesville turned deadly, as alleged white supremacist James Fields ran over a crowd of protesters in his vehicle, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer.

President Trump's initial response to the violence and Heyer's death was ... not reassuring.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides," the president said on Aug. 12, doubling down on the idea that "many sides" are to blame. "It's been going on for a long time in our country. ... This has been going on for a long, long time."

Notably, there was no mention of white supremacy or racism in the president's initial remarks, which seemed to equivocate the hatred on display by literal Nazis with the actions of those protesting the alt-right conference.

A slew of leaders on both sides of the aisle were quick to criticize Trump, noting the president didn't go far enough in condemning the overt acts of bigotry, including Senator Marco Rubio, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, and Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer.

On Monday morning, Aug. 14, Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier quit the president's manufacturing council, siting Trump's weak response to the incidents in Charlottesville. (In true form, Trump quickly bashed Frazier on Twitter.)

Trump followed up with an additional statement hours after Frazier's decision, condemning white supremacy using more forceful language. But in a certain sense, the damage had already been done.

The president's reaction to the horrors in Virginia raises another question: Why not call Heyer's death an act of terrorism?

Several other leaders acknowledged that the murder certainly meets the definition of domestic terrorism; even Trump's own attorney general, Jeff Sessions — who carries his own appalling history of racist views — considers it such.

Why can't the president — who's always been quick to call out terrorism when it comes at the hands of Islamists (read: when it's more politically convenient) — call a spade a spade when it comes to Charlottesville?

Zendaya would really like to know.

The actor and singer ended her speech on Sunday reminding young people that they'll soon have the power to make an even bigger difference in our world.

"You’re the future leaders of the world; we are the future leaders of the world," Zendaya said. "You’re the future presidents, the future senators. And you guys are the ones who are going to make this world better. So I’m just letting you know right now that you are the future, OK? So take that very, very seriously, all right?”

Watch Zendaya's speech at the Teen Choice Awards below:

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