Zendaya’s playful reaction to encountering Selena Gomez’s fiancé, Benny Blanco, at the 2025 Golden Globes quickly went viral.
The moment occurred during a break in the ceremony when Zendaya, star of Challengers, mingled with other attendees. In a video shared by The Hollywood Reporter on X (formerly Twitter), Blanco and Gomez — engaged last month — approached Zendaya from behind while she faced away.
As Zendaya turned and noticed Blanco, her eyes widened, and she gave a nervous smile. She briefly exchanged words with the couple as they carefully navigated around her flowing gown, still holding hands.
Fans flooded social media with reactions, some humorously suggesting that Zendaya looked “terrified” of Blanco. Zendaya and Gomez were prominent nominees at the event, earning recognition for their respective performances.
Zendaya was nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Challengers but lost to Demi Moore, who won for The Substance. Gomez, nominated for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for Emilia Perez, lost to co-star Zoe Saldana, who emotionally thanked Gomez during her acceptance speech.
Gomez also received a nomination for her role in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building but lost to Jean Smart from Hacks. While Gomez skipped the red carpet, Zendaya turned heads in a strapless orange Louis Vuitton gown paired with Bulgari jewellery.
This marked Zendaya’s return to the Golden Globes after her 2016 appearance. Although longtime boyfriend Tom Holland was absent, fans speculated about a possible engagement after spotting a large diamond ring on Zendaya’s left hand.