That move would probably have created conversation on its own. But what happened next gave fans even more to discuss: Tom did not publicly post a birthday tribute to Zendaya on September 1, and people online certainly took notice.
The following day, he shared an Instagram post featuring himself and others working out as part of a promotional event tied to his non-alcoholic beer BERO and Barry's Shandy Shake. Instead of focusing only on the campaign, however, some followers used the comment section to ask about Zendaya.
One wrote, "Why didnt u post for zendays bday [sic]." Another added, "Bro it's your girl bday lol." A third wondered, "Where's zendaya's birthday post 😒 [sic]," and someone else commented, "Its zendaya's birthday 😡😡 wish her [sic]." The reaction stood out because Tom has publicly marked Zendaya's birthdays before.
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In 2023, E! reported that he shared a photo of her in snorkeling gear on his Instagram Stories with the caption "My birthday girl" and a heart-eyes emoji. He followed it with another image of Zendaya walking with the couple's dogs, Noon and Tessa.
That tribute mirrored the kind of low-key public affection the pair have occasionally shown each other while still trying to protect their relationship.
In a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Tom explained, "We don't think that we owe it to anyone. It's our thing, and it has nothing to do with our careers."
Zendaya made a similar point to Elle, saying, "Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public. I can't not [sic] be a person and live my life and love the person I love. But also, I do have control over what I choose to share."
So while some fans interpreted Tom's birthday silence as notable, their own past comments also make one thing clear: not every private moment is meant to become a public post.
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Zendaya's 30th Birthday Post Was a Return to a Sweet Tradition
Zendaya eventually marked her milestone birthday herself, and rather than sharing a glamorous red-carpet shot, she went back to childhood.
On Instagram, she posted a throwback photo of herself as a little girl and wrote:
"I can't thank ya'll enough for making the last year of my twenties so beautiful, I have so much to be grateful for and so much to look forward to, with love as always….here's to 30!!!!!🥹."
The post was especially fitting because childhood throwbacks have become something of a birthday tradition for Zendaya. As reported in 2024, the star celebrated turning 28 with another old childhood photo. In that post, she thanked people for their birthday messages and wrote, "Here's to 28!"
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