Tom Holland has definitely been one of the most successful actors in Hollywood over the past several years, as he's scored a number of high-profile gigs. While many know him as the web-slinging Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, his latest role in the Apple TV+ series The Crowded Room has him playing the role of a man interrogated by an investigator after being arrested for a 1979 shooting. Needless to say, this was some heavy material for the A-lister. Now, after taking on the dark role, the British performer has revealed that he's planning to take a break.
Some of the star's most devoted fans may not be quick to believe it, but the entertainer sounds incredibly serious about this. During his interview with Extra TV, the Spidey actor first explained what he got out of his experience filming The Crowded Room:
It was a tough time, for sure. We were exploring certain emotions that I have definitely never experienced before. And then on top of that, being a producer, dealing with the day-to-day problems that come with any film set, just added that extra level of pressure. But I really enjoyed it, I loved the learning curve of becoming a producer. I’m no stranger to hard work. I’ve always sort of lived by this idea that hard work is good work. I really enjoyed it.
Tom Holland certainly is no stranger to hard work. The stunts he did on the Spider-Man movies alone are enough to prove that. (Humorously, he once said that the most challenging part of filming Homecoming was having to hold in his bladder for eleven hours while in his skin-tight suit.) And of course, nailing one of his character's “landings” on the crown of the Statue of Liberty in No Way Home was easier said than done. And let's not forget the challenging stunt work for Uncharted, which involved an exhilarating, yet stress-inducing, plane sequence.
But as the action star has mentioned, The Crowded Room provided a different level of difficulty for him. While he may just be acting, all of the preparation that goes into playing an emotionally heavy role can take a toll on a person. It’s because of all of the prep that went into his role for the Apple TV+ series that he's prepared to step away from the craft for a while:
But then again, the show did break me. There did come a time where I sort of was like, ‘I need to have a break.’ I disappeared, I went to Mexico for about a week and some time on a beach and lay low. And I'm now taking a year off, and that is a result of how difficult this show was.
This wouldn’t be the first time Tom Holland has expressed his need for a break. After wrapping Spider-Man: No Way Home, the MCU actor said, at the time, that he wanted to lay low and enjoy some downtime. Of course, that was before he made the decision to head for TV to play Danny Sullivan. But again, considering everything he went through with his latest role, it's easy to think that he's going to stick to his intentions this time.
But what fans may wonder now, though, is what this will mean for his superhero film series. Production Amy Pascal said that Spider-Man 4 is happening, but those plans may be put on hold due anyways to the ongoing writers' strike. The leading man did say that he was involved in the early meetings, so I’m assuming that means once the strike is over and things are set, the Cherry actor will be ready to put the suit back on again. But in the meantime, let's wish him a restful and well-deserved year off.
With all of the emotional preparation that Tom Holland apparently went through for his new Apple TV+ series leading to a break in acting, I'm now really curious to see what he brings to the role. You can see for yourself when The Crowded Room debuts its first three episodes for Apple TV+ subscription holders on June 9 as part of the 2023 TV schedule.
