
Viral Zendaya baby bump image is AI, not a pregnancy announcement
A viral image of the actress with a baby bump is artificial, not a pregnancy announcement, according to reports confirming the original photograph dates to 2023.
While out in public, Zendaya has grown accustomed to being congratulated on wedding photographs she never posed for. 'Oh my God, your wedding photos are gorgeous,' strangers would tell her, and she would answer, 'Babe, they're AI.' The actress described the exchange on Jimmy Kimmel Live in March, after a series of computer-generated images of her and Tom Holland fooled fans and even family members.
The couple now face a similar test with a new image that went viral: Zendaya, walking through a park with Holland, a baby bump visible under a crop top. Fans read it as a pregnancy announcement. The Sun has confirmed the photograph is AI-generated; the original, taken in London in 2023, shows the same clothing and the same couple, but with no bump. Neither actor has publicly responded to the latest fabrication.
This is not the first such episode. Earlier, fake wedding images spread widely, and both actors dismissed them. Tom Holland joked that even his grandmother believed the photos and wondered why she had not been invited. Zendaya said many people had been fooled, and she found herself correcting strangers in person.
The new picture arrives weeks after Zendaya appeared to confirm that she and Holland are married, telling a fan at a Mexico City event, 'You're too late!' when asked to marry him. The original 2023 photograph, now three years old, offers a plain counterpoint to the viral fiction: a flat stomach, a casual stroll, no announcement.
| Indian & South Asian press | 0.00 | neutral |
|---|---|---|
| Latin American press | +0.30 | aligned |
| Southeast Asian press | 0.00 | neutral |
The hoax is dismantled: the image is an AI-generated fake, the original photo is from 2023.
Credibility is built through direct comparison between the viral image and the original source, using a fact-checking approach.
The alleged secret wedding of the couple is not mentioned, which is central in the Latin American press.
The secret wedding is a real and lavish event, celebrated with an exclusive party in England.
Plausibility is built by citing an authoritative source (People magazine) and concrete details (hotel, presence of brothers), turning gossip into certain news.
There is no mention of the AI-generated baby bump photo, which is the focus of the Indian and Southeast Asian press.
The baby bump photo is a fake, but the news of Irish Bella's pregnancy is authentic and joyful.
Credibility is achieved by clearly separating the international hoax (Zendaya) from the verified local news (Irish Bella), using a warmer tone for the latter.
The secret wedding of the couple is not mentioned, which is central in the Latin American press.
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