Marvel Studios is so good about keeping things mum that Tom Holland, the 19-year-old donning the red and blue costume for the film, isnt entirely sure what Spider-Man is up to. I dont even know what
Civil War is about, Holland said during a conversation on SiriusXMs Entertainment Weekly Radio. I was only working on it for a week or two weeks or something. So they offered for me to read the script, and I said No, I dont want to read it, because Ill be doing all these interviews and Ill end up telling secrets and stuff. Ive got such a big mouth. So I actually dont know what its about. Im going to watch this film as an audience member, rather than someone who is in it. Ill be like, I wonder what my bits are about?
Holland, who can also be seen in the new Ron Howard film
In the Heart of the Sea (in theaters this Friday), did admit that the hardest work came in trying to actually get the job. After being told
Civil War directors Anthony and Joe Russo praised him for bringing his dance and gymnastics experience to the role, Holland noted that those skills played into his auditions. Any opportunity I got, I was just doing back flips and stuff to try to convince them, he admitted. Like, Look Marvel! Im a gymnast! Please give me the role! Im so close to sticking to walls now!
To score the role of Spider-Man, Holland did a series of readings before being brought in to work opposite Robert Downey, Jr. It was so intimidating, Holland said. But the thing was, I walked into the room on this soundstage, and they had this little set, and Robert took me aside and said, Listen, I remember my screen test for
Iron Man. I remember how terrified I was. Just think of it as an audition. Its nothing too scary. If you get it wrong, well just start again. No pressure. But that kind of raised the pressure a little bit for me. But he was great and super supportive, and because he said hed been there and had been in the same situation, it made me relax a little bit.
Holland also read opposite his
In the Heart of the Sea co-star Chris Hemsworth, and he looks forward to when Spider-Man may get to cross paths with the mighty Thor. The Marvel Universe is so huge, and I dont even know where Thor is right now. Hes off somewhere, says Holland. Id love to cross paths with Chris again. We get along really well, though hes a little too handsome for me. When I first met him, it was a bit of a pinch me moment. I was 16 and a huge Marvel fan, and when he first walked on set, it was a little bit daunting, because he
is Thor. But hes so down-to-earth and so nice and professional and hard-working. Hes an all-around good dude. I thought that Hollywood superstars like himself would just be divas who do whatever they want, and he was kind of the first one I had ever met. But he wasnt like that at all. He never complained, which is a massive lesson that I learned. I was like, If hes not complaining, who am I to complain?
To hear the rest of the conversation with Holland, tune in to What to Watch on Entertainment Weekly Radio (SiriusXM 105) on Monday, Dec. 14 at noon ET. In the Heart of the Sea is in theaters this Friday.