Landing a superhero role is a dream job for many actors, especially a character as popular as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Tom Holland is currently the man behind the mask, and has become a huge celebrity as a result of his acclaimed performances. And the Uncharted actor recently spoke on the responsibility of playing the beloved hero… even when being hounded by paparazzi.
One downside to fame is definitely a lack of privacy, and Tom Holland learned that all too well since debuting as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War. He was recently photographed kissing co-star Zendaya, leading to more rumors about their romance. Holland reflected on a time he got fed up with said photographers, saying:
Something had happened in my life and it really put me in a bad mood. I was just trying to keep my head together, and I turned around and told them to get lost.
Given how intrusive paparazzi are known for being, I don’t think anyone could really blame Tom Holland for getting worked up during a moment of stress. Still, this is clearly a moment that stuck out to the 25 year-old actor. Partially because of what happened after he told the photographers to get lost.
Tom Holland’s comments about the downsides to playing Spider-Man come from a long interview with GQ about his career ahead of No Way Home’s release. The mysterious threequel will mark the end of Holland’s contract, which should allow him to take some much needed rest. Although smart money says paparazzi will continue to photograph the actor.
Later in that same interview, Tom Holland went on to explain how the responsibility of playing Spider-Man changed the way he ultimately reacted in that moment with the paps. In the end, Holland apologized for his outburst. Namely because so many young people look up to his current incarnation of Peter Parker. As he put it,
I have to remind myself that being Spider-Man is more of a responsibility than just having a job. There are kids out there who are bullied at school who don’t fit in, and Spider-Man is their fucking go-to guy, you know? And at the moment I’m that guy.
What a class act. Considering how young Tom Holland was when he became a household name, it would be logical for him to act his age in moments of stress. But it seems Holland wants to be a hero IRL, at least while he continues playing everyone’s favorite web-slinger.
As previously mentioned, Spider-Man: No Way Home will mark the end of Tom Holland’s contact as Peter Parker. The stakes for the blockbuster are certainly high, with villains from the previous franchises appearing for a massive crossover event. Let’s just hope that our beloved favorites like Peter and Zendaya’s MJ make it out of the blockbuster alive.
Spider-Man: No Way Home will hit theaters December 17th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
