Tom Holland says Justin Bieber was his childhood celebrity obsession: ‘He was the coolest guy’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Tom Holland has revealed that Justin Bieber was his childhood celebrity obsession during an appearance on Julian Shapiro-Barnum’s 'Celebrity Substitute' show on Wednesday, July 29.

The duo’s mutual admiration has continued over the years, with both stars publicly supporting each other’s work and sharing a memorable Instagram Live during the COVID-19 quarantine.

Tom Holland recalls his childhood obsession with Justin Bieber

During the podcast appearance, the interviewer asked Holland about his childhood celebrity obsession. “Honestly, Justin Bieber,” he replied, adding, “I thought he was the coolest guy I had ever seen in my life.”

He then recalled watching the music video for “Baby” when he was around 11 or 12 years old and trying to recreate Bieber’s hairstyle. “I tried to do my hair like his and I don't have hair like it,” Holland said, before adding, “Tommy hair is better,” after receiving a compliment.

The admiration between the two stars has continued over the years, with Holland and Bieber repeatedly supporting each other’s projects. Bieber even chose to watch Holland’s drama movie 'Cherry' during major award show nights.

During the COVID-19 quarantine, the pair surprised fans by going live together on Instagram, where they discussed their admiration for each other’s work. “Such a big fan, man,” Bieber told him, to which the actor replied, “Likewise, bro.” 

Bieber also thanked Holland for praising his documentary series 'Seasons.' The pair then discussed how they were spending their time while self-isolating. Holland recommended the reality series 'Alone,' which he was binge-watching, while Bieber explained that he was “just trying to pass the time” because he was getting bored.

He also asked Holland about projects he had been forced to cancel during the pandemic. Holland explained that he had arrived for the first day of shooting Uncharted before production was shut down. Reflecting on the conversation, He told Bieber, “This is wild, bro.”

Before ending the three-minute chat, Bieber again expressed his admiration for Holland, telling him, “You're awesome, and I'm such a big fan.”

Zendaya and Tom Holland share a connection to Justin Bieber

Holland is not the only one with a connection to Bieber, as his wife, Zendaya, has also spoken about being a fan of the singer. During a 2021 WIRED autocomplete interview with Holland and Jacob Batalon, Holland asked whether she had appeared in a Bieber music video.

Zendaya laughed and clarified that she had never been in one, but revealed that she made a dance video to a Bieber song when she was around 15. Holland then joked that the video would be linked in the description.

Bieber also appeared as himself in 'Zendaya: Behind the Scenes' in 2012, during the period when she was emerging as a young Disney star. In a 2013 interview, when Zendaya was 17, she was asked about the music she was listening to and enthusiastically brought up Bieber’s new music, saying she had “Bieber fever.” 

She also expressed that she would love to collaborate with the singer. Holland and Zendaya confirmed their relationship publicly in 2021 after years of speculation. In January 2025, she sparked engagement speculation after wearing a large diamond ring at the Golden Globes.

Earlier this year, her stylist Law Roach claimed that the couple’s wedding had “already happened.” Since then, he has publicly referred to Zendaya as his “wife.”