In some way, it’s almost hard to believe that Tom Holland has played the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man for over five years now. Most can probably still remember when he was first announced in the role and his eventual spectacular debut also stands out in one’s mind. Of course, ahead of that, he had to audition and, based on past comments from the actor, it was a lengthy process. Just about anyone would find this to be a daunting undertaking, but the star was able to push through. Though he’s now revealed that ahead of his final audition, he got a hilarious “confidence boost” from a cab driver, which may not have helped to keep him calm.
The British actor has been very reflective ahead the release of of his latest turn as the web-slinger in Spider-Man: No Way Home. It was during his appearance on The Graham Norton Show, alongside co-star Zendaya, that he discussed that initial audition process for Captain America: Civil War. And apparently, the aforementioned cab driver gave the star a funny “compliment” wrapped in a surprising insult:
It was a pretty typical process, it just was on a grander scale, something that went over seven months. I think I did seven or eight different auditions, I flew out to Atlanta multiple times for different screen tests. When I was going for my last audition, I was very nervous, and I had this driver, lovely guy but a little bit too honest. He’s sort of sitting there in the car, and he’s chatting to me, chatting to me, chatting to me. I’m a polite person, but I also want to be like, ‘Mate, please shut up. I’m trying to learn my line.’ And he’s looking at me in the mirror and he’s [adjusting the mirror], he’s looking, he’s looking. He goes, ‘You know, kid, I think you’re gonna get it.’ I’m like, ‘Really, why?’ And I was excited to hear that. And he goes, ’You know what, I think you’re gonna get it because the kid that I just drove there, he is so good looking. … That’s exactly the confidence boost I needed.
Well, that’s not exactly something you want to hear when you’re walking into what’s arguably the biggest moment of your career. Sure, the driver was only joking with Tom Holland, but such ribbing could throw someone for a loop if they were in Holland’s shoes. Of course, the actor ultimately landed the role and, as he further explained, he actually saw that same cabbie again when he started working on his first Marvel movie:
And I got the part, I was lucky enough. I saw him a few months later when I was shooting the film, and he said, ‘I told you.’ I said, ‘What did you tell me, that I was going to get the part or that I was ugly?’
One would assume that this driver is going to continue to claim the fact that he predicted Tom Holland would become the web-slinger. And if I’m being honest, I’d probably do the same if I were in his position. I mean, joke aside, he did technically say that Holland would earn the role, right?
The Uncharted actor has certainly more than proven that he was the right person for the job. Not only does he have the charm and wit associated with the character, but he also possesses the athleticism of the spry superhero. It’s honestly hard to believe that, at one point, Sony was hesitant to cast him while Marvel Studios was more enthusiastic about doing so. Thankfully, due to his skill, and a little help from a few Marvel stars, he nabbed the part.
It goes without saying that fans love Tom Holland’s interpretation of Peter Parker, which is why many are nervous about what lies ahead for him in No Way Home. The multiverse-centric movie is going to test the character in a number of ways, and one can imagine how things play out for him. Despite the story-related unknowns, it’s almost certain that Holland is going to put on a strong showing in the conclusion to the Homecoming trilogy.
Spider-Man: No Way Home hits theaters on December 17.
