Zendaya, Tom Holland, and Sean ‘Poopies’ McInerney. Shutterstock (2)
An unexpected twist. Many fans thought Zendaya and Tom Holland would get to celebrate their chemistry in Spider-Man: No Way Home by accepting the award for Best Kiss at the 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards, but audiences were left in disbelief after Jackass Forever‘s Poopies won the award for his kiss with a snake.
“This is a dream come true. Huge thanks to MTV. Huge thanks to Jackass and all the boys,” Poopies (real name Sean McInerney) told the audience at Santa Monica’s Barker Hanger on Sunday, June 5. “Being a new cast member is not easy. It’s kind of weird being up here, accepting this award alone. Now that I’m a big time movie star, me and the snake broke up. I found a new love, so let’s bring her out!”
Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Shahi and more stars’ jaws dropped as animal wranglers brought a 17-foot python snake out on stage, and Poopies gave the reptile a peck. “I’m so glad that thing did not bite me,” the performer told the audience before saying one last “thank you.”
Handlers hold an anaconda as Sean “Poopies” McInerney accepts the best kiss award at the MTV Movie and TV Awards on June 5, 2022. Chris Pizzello/AP/Shutterstock
Spider-Man fans weren’t laughing at the bit, though. Many called out the MTV Movie & TV Awards for awarding a kiss that wasn’t even between two actors, and some were suspicious about the legitimacy of Poopies’ win since the statue went to an MTV-produced film. Fans took to Twitter to discuss the award.
“Tom and Zendaya losing best kiss to that man and a snake is obviously so set up so they could bring out that anaconda,” one fan tweeted on Sunday.
“So is MTV just giving the awards to whoever actually showed up to this low budget ass show? Because I know Zendaya & Tom had best kiss in the bag,” another speculated.
One angry viewer pointed out, “The snake bit his face this isn’t a kiss wtf.”
However, there were some very happy Jackass fans on Twitter. One fan called it “a beautiful kiss between Poopies and the snake,” while another defended voting for both Jackass and Spider-Man. “’Who voted for the snake kiss…’ I DID!!! I equally voted for NWH and Poopies ? I voted Poopies for fun bc I love Jackass,” the user wrote.
Johnny Knoxville, Sean “Poopies” McInerny, Rachel Wolfson and Steve-O in ‘Jackass Forever.’ Paramount Pictures/MTV Entertainment Studios.
The Euphoria actress, 25, and Holland, 26, were not at the awards show, but they didn’t walk away empty handed. They both gave separate, virtual acceptance speeches when Spider-Man: No Way Home scored the golden popcorn for Best Movie. Zendaya also appeared via video to accept Best Performance in a Show for her role in the HBO drama, which also won Best Show.
The couple were first linked after working together on 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. After several years of denying relationship speculation — and with two follow-up films under their belts — the costars were spotted packing on the PDA in Holland’s car in July 2021.
“Zendaya and Tom started off as really great friends and stayed that way for a long while before things turned romantic,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly at the time, noting that the pair “challenge each other and balance each other out.”
The former Disney Channel star “really helps guide [Tom] through the world of celebrity,” while the U.K. native brings the humor to the duo’s romance, per the insider.
Though they kept their relationship status under wraps for some time, the Marvel actors have frequently gushed over their close bond. In February 2021, the Uncharted star opened up about the more “nerve-wracking” aspects of dating in the spotlight.
“It means that if you are dating someone, you have to be really conscious of their feelings, because if something does happen between the two of you, it’s not just happening between the two of you, it’s happening in front of the entire world,” he told British GQ. “And it can be very complicated. It’s one of the things I worry about most, of all the things in my career.”
Zendaya as MJ Watson and Tom Holland as Peter Parker in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ YouTube
While promoting Spider-Man: No Way Home last fall, the couple were no longer hiding their love. The Emmy winner revealed what made her fall for her “charismatic” beau, telling InStyle in October 2021, “[He] can make anybody feel comfortable and have a good laugh and a good chat. A good chat — I sound so British.”
Two months later, a source exclusively told Us that Zendaya and Holland felt “more strong and confident in their relationship” after going public. “They are still in the new love phase and want to spend every moment together, which works out great because they’ve been doing so much shooting, traveling and press together,” the insider noted ahead of the new year. “He adores her and she thinks he is so smart and funny.”
The young Hollywood stars were “in the best place,” the source told Us, and the pair had even started thinking about the future. “They seem to be in it for the long haul together,” the insider added.
Days before the MTV Movie & TV Awards, Zendaya took to social media to honor her boyfriend on his special day. “Happiest of birthdays to the one who makes me the happiest <3,” she wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, June 1, alongside a sweet photo of the pair smiling and cuddling. Holland, for his part, left heart emojis in the comments.
