While Zendaya's first on-screen film credit was 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, in which she first played the role of MJ, she previously had a small voice role in an unexpected 2013 superhero movie that has nothing to do with Peter Parker.
During the press tour for the fourth Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Zendaya, Holland and co-star Jacob Batalon were quizzed about the Euphoria star's first-ever film credit – and it seems that Holland had no clue what that project was about.
Speaking on BBC Radio 1, host Ali Plumb quizzed Holland and Batalon about Zendaya's first role. The two stars appeared puzzled, with Batalon incorrectly guessing Paw Patrol and then getting warmer with Air Bud.
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Zendaya voiced a horse called Lollipop in the 14th Air Bud movie, Super Buddies, in which the talking Golden Retriever's five puppies develop superpowers.
"I don't even remember this," Zendaya commented as a very confused Holland said: "What are we talking about?! What is Super Buddies?!"
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The Peter Parker star might need to brush up on Zendaya's early filmography, but he's definitely up to date with his wife's latest screen credits. The couple, who recently confirmed they'd tied the knot, star on Christopher Nolan's stacked epic The Odyssey, with the cast led by Matt Damon as Odysseus and Anne Hathaway as Penelope.
Holland, who plays the role of Odysseus' son Telemachus, revealed that writer-director Nolan tasked him with telling Zendaya she'd landed the part of Athena. The pair had prepared for Holland's role together, with the Spider-Man actor returning with some "pretty cool" news for Zendaya after meeting with Nolan.
"At my meeting with Chris he asked me a question... He went, 'Would you be offended if I asked Zendaya to play Athena?'" Holland told Access Hollywood.
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"I was like, 'Why would I be offended'... And then I asked him, 'Do you want me to tell her.' And he said, 'Yeah.'
"And I went home and I said, 'You should read the script again.' And she said, 'I already read it.' And I said, 'Just trust me, you should read it again, but read Athena really closely.' And the little corners of her mouth [makes a smile on his own face]. It was amazing."
"I was already excited," Zendaya said on the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, sharing her version of the story. "I was already on Cloud Nine for him."
"And then he came home and said, 'I need you to read something.' And I was like, 'Is it that thing we were just reading the other night?' And he was like [nods head], 'But now read it thinking of this character [Athena].' And I was like, 'Shut up! You're joking!' It was pretty cool."
The Odyssey hits cinemas on 17 July, while Spider-Man: Brand New Day releases on 31 July.
Super Buddies is streaming on Disney+.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
