At just 21 years old, Tom Holland stars as the newest - and youngest ever - Spidey in Spider-Man: Homecoming out in IMAX® theatres now.
This new kid on the block may not be a household name yet like Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield - the Spider-men we’ve come to know and love - but Tom Holland will join the ranks of beloved Peter Parkers, and here’s why.
He’s Basically Been Preparing For His Spider-Man Role Since Birth
Tom dressed as Spider-Man to a party one time. The best part? It wasn’t even a costume party. He told GQ that “it wasn't a fancy dress party. It was just a regular party. And I was there as Spider-Man.” It was as if Tom was sure of his destiny to come only a few years after the incident.
This also wasn’t the first time he donned the Spidey suit before landing the leading role. As a mere toddler, Tom was already playing the part, as seen in his Instagram post.
He and Zendaya are the Best Friends You Wish You Had
The Spider-Man: Homecoming co-stars definitely are not shy to make fun of each other on social media.
I really can't stand him!@TomHolland1996 pic.twitter.com/4KEifhg0QS
— Zendaya (@Zendaya) June 14, 2017
Apart from when you want a part in Spiderman 2! https://t.co/vxtbOOTLqB
— Tom Holland (@TomHolland1996) June 14, 2017
Watch yourself, I still have more followers than you right now...tread lightly my freind...tread lightly! https://t.co/HdYZ3zvxUR
— Zendaya (@Zendaya) June 14, 2017
This pair can’t stop complimenting each other. Zendaya recognized Tom on Twitter as the hype man we all deserve on the red carpet.
Everyone deserves a hype man like @tomholland1996 #hewillsmithedus pic.twitter.com/PwmKcGiTE8
— Zendaya (@Zendaya) June 17, 2017
He Isn’t Afraid to Act Hilariously
Tom’s stint as Rihanna in a Lip Sync Battle performance proves he’s up for the challenge of being your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. He clearly doesn’t take himself too seriously considering he performed to “Umbrella” with unparalleled passion. His flips and leaps within the choreography seemed effortless. His real-life charisma perfectly matches that of Peter Parker. Twirls aplenty, Tom rocked the stage and rocks the big screen, too.
He’s Been Training For The Stage And Screen Since The First Spider-Man Film Debuted
While the British actor may seem like the new kid in the neighborhood, his career spans practically his entire life, as he starred in the London production of Billy Elliot as Billy at age 8. It wasn’t a shoe-in role for him. He told Zendaya in an interview she conducted with Tom for Interview magazine that he was spotted by a scout in dance school at a very young age. He explained:
“I loved doing ballet. I trained for two years. I auditioned every six months for Billy Elliot and got slightly bigger every time I went, and eventually I got the job. I'm very happy I had that training. It's been so valuable to my career, and I've used it on almost everything I've done since.”
Now, at an age not much older than Peter Parker’s in the film, Tom Holland has an established career in Hollywood. Since his run in the London theatre scene as Billy in Billy Elliot, he has been featured in In the Heart of the Sea and debuted as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, among other films.
His Dad Wrote A Book About Tom’s Stardom Overshadowing His Own At Only Age 12
Tom’s dad, British comedian and author Dominic Holland, wrote a book titled Eclipsed: How Tom Holland Eclipsed His ‘Celebrity’ Dad on his son’s fame surpassing his own. The back of the book reads:
“We all want the best for our children. Ideally, they will out-perform the achievements of their forebears. But in the same business as the dad and when they are twelve? Come on, really?”
Also, when Tom found out he would be the next Spider-Man, his dad was on the road for a comedy show. He sent out a hilarious tweet complete with a dad joke.
This morning I had 4 sons and now I have 3 sons and 1 spider - typical of me to be gigging and missing all the fun at home #spiderman
— Dominic Holland (@domholland) June 23, 2015
If Tom Holland’s carefree personality, dance ability, and Spider-Man history doesn’t epitomize that he is the perfect fit for the role, I guess you’ll just have to get tickets to Spider-Man: Homecoming in IMAX to see for yourself!
- Samantha Ulin | Intern, Corporate Communications