Tom Holland is a treasure, isn’t he? Every time the young actor gives an interview, he says something that’s quote-worthy and charmingly self-deprecating, whether it’s sharing his anecdote of the time he met Madonna and completely panicked or his famous inability to keep things secret, prompting Marvel to never let him read a whole script.
More recently, he’s trying to shed the purely boyish identity he’s had to this point, starring in the Russos’ new movie, Cherry. It’s based on the true story of Nico Walker, a former soldier-turned-bank robber who turned to a life of crime to support the drug habit he developed in the aftermath of crippling PTSD. Holland made a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! sporting his recently-shaved head and lean look for his gritty Cherry role, and to discuss his upcoming animated movie, Spies in Disguise.
Fans need not worry that he’s outgrowing his tendencies to tell great stories, though. During his interview, Holland told a hilarious story about a conversation with Disney CEO Bob Iger. By now, we know that Holland is largely responsible for getting Sony and Marvel back to the bargaining table and working out a deal to keep Spider-Man in the MCU. What we didn’t know was that he was accidentally drunk and crying when he did it.
Holland, as it turns out, had a rough time at this year’s D23 convention. Reports had just come out that Sony and Marvel had failed to reach a deal and Spider-Man was out of the MCU. “The news had come out, and I was obviously devasted,” he told Kimmel. “I was really upset. And all my Marvel friends were there and they were taking Marvel pictures, and I was like…[making a sad face] not allowed to be in them. It was awful.”
But being the kind of guy he is, Holland still sent Bob Iger a sweet email thanking him for giving him the opportunity to play Spider-Man for the last five years and for changing his life. Three days later, Iger called Holland back to discuss things – as the young actor explained, “You don’t give Bob Iger, like, a schedule. You just say, ‘Whenever, Bob!'”
Only problem was, Holland was at a pub quiz night with his family and three pints deep and, well, just a wee bit drunk, beer in the U.K. being far stronger than here in the U.S. The beer, and the emotions of Spider-Man no longer being with Marvel, all hit him, and he admitted he ended up crying on the phone with Bob Iger about how much the character means to him and that he hoped a deal could still be worked out. “I was really emotional!” he protested to a laughing Kimmel. “I felt like it was all coming to an end!”
If anyone can be drunk and cry to Bob Iger and somehow still come out on top, it’s human cupcake puppy Tom Holland. It’s comforting to know that Holland feels exactly about Spider-Man as any other fan does; our webhead is in good hands. The third film in the new Spider-Man series will be released July 16, 2021, giving Marvel a packed year at the box office.
