Everyone’s favorite Spider-Man in the MCU, Tom Holland, recently discussed his ongoing battles with sobriety and mental health. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Holland opened up about the mental toll of filming his role in The Crowded Room, an upcoming series on Apple TV+.
Based on a true story and the book The Minds of Billy Milligan, Holland plays Danny Sullivan, a man with multiple personality disorders, in The Crowded Room. Holland admitted that the mental and emotional demands of the role made it difficult for him to separate himself from the character once filming had concluded.
Tom Holland’s Struggle with Sobriety
Holland said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he had been sober for 14 months. The actor acknowledges the difficulty of reaching out for assistance when dealing with mental health issues but stresses the importance of doing so when needed.
“I’m no stranger to the physical aspects of the job doing the whole action-movie thing. But the mental aspect, it really beat me up and it took a long time for me to recover afterward, to sort of get back to reality.”
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Tom Holland decided to quit drinking after realizing that he had been using it to alleviate the stress in his life. Alcohol, he admitted, had become a crutch for him, something he turned to when he needed to numb his feelings. The moment Holland decided to stop drinking was a turning point in his life, and he has used it to promote both recovery and understanding of mental illness ever since.
Playing The Part Cost Tom Holland His Mental Health
Playing Danny Sullivan in The Crowded Room required a lot of mental and emotional energy from Holland. Nine months into filming, he said he would “spiral” when he “read things about me online.” He wanted to take a break from filming to relieve his stress but soon realized he couldn’t.
“I get caught up and I spiral when I read things about me online. Ultimately it’s very detrimental for my mental state. There is an awful stigma against mental health and I know that asking for help and seeking help isn’t something that we should be ashamed of, but it is something that is much easier said than done.”
Even the most seasoned actors like Tom Holland can find it difficult to maintain character, perform at a high level, and find a good work-life balance. The actor felt emotionally drained and exhausted from the demands of his role in The Crowded Room.
Taking A Break From Acting
With the mental toll the series has taken on Holland, it’s unsurprising that the British actor would want to take a break from doing what he knows best. Since his last Spider-Man movie, fans’ expectations and desire to see Holland in the Spidey suit in a fourth movie have skyrocketed. As a matter of fact, there were conversations about the movie releasing in 2024.
But of course, Spider-Man 4 will be incomplete with its leading man. In an interview with Cinepop, Holland discussed his plans after shooting the Apple+ TV series.
“I am going back to shoot a TV show for Apple, which I’m really excited about. But I can confidently say that after I finish that TV show, I will be taking a break,”
It almost seems like Holland knew how exhausting filming the series could be. While Spider-Man 4 will be great regardless of when it is released, if it is produced at all, Tom Holland’s plans to take a break from acting have been on his mind for a while. Since Holland has decided to take a break from acting, there is a chance that filming will be put on hold until the next official announcement has been made.
The Crowded Room will be available to stream on Apple+ TV on June 9, 2023.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
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