Credit: Gotham/GC Images

Once and for all the internet proved this week that if you’re just a little bit talented on photoshop with a decent social media following, that you can convince hundreds, if not thousands of people, of just about anything. Even a rumour that a stick thin Zendaya – who recently walked the red carpet – is 20 weeks pregnant.

TikTok account @ryan.roberts published a video yesterday that claimed the actress was pregnant with beau, Tom Holland. A hoax Instagram repost revealed a picture of an ultrasound with the caption, “I love you. Halfway there @tomholland2013”. It was shortly followed with a video of Kris Jenner dancing and the phrase, “You just go Krissed” accompanying it.

@ryan.roberts

THERE IS NO WAY #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo #AmazonVirtualTryOn #MakeASplash #zendaya #tomholland #pregnant #fypシ #zyxcba

♬ original sound – wandakardashian

Now, it was a fleeting moment on the internet steeped in fake news and click bait. But it didn’t stop the hashtag #ZendayaPregnant from flooding Twitter. The Euphoria actress was quick to respond to the false headlines via Instagram stories, writing, “See now, this is why I stay off Twitter… Just making stuff up for no reason…weekly.”

In another slide she added, “Anyway back to filming. Challengers.” Nothing like a bit of fake news to promote a new movie. Well played, Zendaya.

Credit: Instagram @zendaya
Credit: Instagram @zendaya

Zendaya and Holland are notoriously private. In an interview with GQ late last year the Spider-Man star briefly addressed his relationship and the struggles of privacy in the limelight.

“One of the downsides of our fame is that privacy isn’t really in our control anymore, and a moment that you think is between two people that love each other very much is now a moment that is shared with the entire world,” Holland said.

“I’ve always been really adamant to keep my private life private, because I share so much of my life with the world anyway. We sort of felt robbed of our privacy. I don’t think it’s about not being ready [for our relationship to be outed]. It’s just that we didn’t want to”.