Tom Holland really wanted to be Spider-Man. No, he really wanted to be Spider-Man. The man has been a workout fiend for months as he gets himself in the correct physical form to play the part. However, he’s building on a gymnastics ability that he already has, something that may have been his secret weapon in getting the role in the first place.
In a recent interview, Holland said Spider-Man was the comic book role he’s always wanted to play, so when it turned out that Marvel was already interested in him for the part, he knew he had a chance to do something extra in order to get their attention. Speaking with the Associated Press, Holland says that in recording a couple of scenes for Marvel to review he had to have a short clip of him identifying himself prior to the scene, so he added a little something special to his ID in hopes it would be noticed.
I basically did like a somersault into frame and then a somersault out of frame ‘cause I basically — I was like, they may never see this, but if they do I need them to know that I’ve got some gymnastics abilities and stuff, and every tape I sent in I always did a little acrobatic demo to try and convince them to give me the role.
While it’s unknown how much of an effect the acrobatics had on Marvel’s decision, we have to assume at the very least they didn’t hurt. Holland has previously said that he isn’t really doing his own stunts in the part, but at the same time there are certainly non-stunt athletics required in the role and Holland proved, as he continues to prove, that he has the ability to pull it all off. Holland has his own air-filled track which allows him to practice his flips and he also spends 20 minutes a week giving himself electric shocks, because why not?
Tom Holland beat out a host of young actors for the role, including names like Ender’s Game’s Asa Butterfield, Nat Wolff, and Liam James. Holland has been a relatively unknown up until now doing mostly smaller films, though he will be co-starring with Chris Hemsworth in the upcoming In the Heart of the Sea prior to getting his first turn as Spider-Man in next summer’s Captain America: Civil War. Check out the interview below.
We’re still looking forward to seeing what sorts of acrobatics Holland can pull off while wearing the full costume. We may be waiting until the film itself as Marvel is not being forthcoming with any footage.
