Tom Holland Calls Non-MCU Acting “Incredibly Scary,” and Reveals Which Actor Helped Him Learn to Cry

Summary

• Tom Holland has yet to confirm his involvement in a fourth Spider-Man installment, but has opened up about the challenges of working outside the Marvel franchise.
• Holland found taking on a role in a non-Marvel project “incredibly scary,” but also fulfilling and rewarding.
• Holland sought advice from Benedict Cumberbatch on how to cry on demand, and learned a technique involving diaphragm control that helped him feel more confident in emotional scenes.

Although it seems a foregone conclusion that Tom Holland will be slipping into the guise of Spider-Man again in the next few years, the actor himself has yet to confirm that he is definitely on board for a fourth installment of his solo movies within the MCU. However, in a recent interview, Holland has opened up about the challenges of working on projects outside the “safety blanket” of the Marvel franchise.

Many actors have joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the last 15 years, and while some have only had a fleeting relationship with the ongoing saga, others have stuck around for a bit longer. Naturally, though, there are other movies and TV shows out there to be worked on, and even long-standing Marvel actors have other projects to keep them busy in between stints of saving the world. For Holland, it seems that this part of the job is “incredibly scary,” especially in relation to his recent role as Danny Sullivan in Apple TV+ series, The Crowded Room. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Holland said of taking on that role:

I got so used to the Marvel machine and the safety blanket of Spider-Man, feeling like I was protected. So, doing something like this was incredibly scary, but because it was so scary, it was so fulfilling and so rewarding.

In previous interviews, Holland has discussed how his role in The Crowded Room was extremely intense and demanding, which led the actor to taking some time off after completing filming on the series. The Crowded Room gained high acclaim for Holland, and allowed him to explore a very different character to that of Peter Parker within the MCU.

Related:The Crowded Room: What Tom Holland’s Series Says About Identity Disorder

One Marvel Actor Taught Tom Holland to Cry

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As an actor, it is a given that at some point, even if only starring in comedy movies, there will be a requirement to cry on demand. Tom Holland has had to show plenty of emotion as Peter Parker, especially in the aftermath of the death of Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame.

In the same interview, Holland revealed that he did go through a “phase” of finding it difficult to cry when the moment demanded it. However, there was another seasoned MCU actor on hand to help him out; Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch. Holland explained:

“Benedict Cumberbatch is someone that I ask for advice a lot about acting. I went through a phase where I was really, really struggling to cry — in my personal life also — and it was really affecting me on set. There’s that beautiful scene at the end of The Imitation Game where he breaks down. I remember watching that as a kid, just sort of being blown away by it. I was lucky to be working with him on a film called A Current War and I asked him, “How did you do that? Did you draw from your own personal emotions or is there a technique that you do?” Truth be told, it was a combination of both. The technique that he told me was thing he’s able to do with his diaphragm, which is almost like laughing. He would do this thing where he would simulate laughing and breathe really, really quickly that it brings the emotion to the surface. Then you take it and ride the wave from there. F*ck, I started doing that and I love crying scenes now. I love it. I feel really confident and it’s something that I have in my wheelhouse. I don’t have to draw on past experiences or personal matters anymore.”

Despite Holland’s coy response to questions about his Spider-Man future, there is little doubt that he will be back in the role at some point in the coming years. With the introduction of the MCU’s version of Venom having been teased at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the question about Spider-Man 4 is not so much one of if, but when Holland will suit up and swing into action again.

Tom Holland’s previous Spider-Man outings can be found spread across various streaming platforms, including Disney+ and Netflix.

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