The English actor, Tom Holland has become one of the most popular Hollywood stars thanks to his Marvel role as Spider-Man. The actor made his MCU debut in the 2016 film Captain America: Civil War alongside stars like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans and has since reprised his role several times. However, his journey as the web-swinging superhero started with a supportive but confidence-sinking encounter with a “little bit too honest” cab driver, who told him that he was ugly.
Tom Holland Recalled Being Called Ugly Before His Audition
During his appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Tom Holland recalled the auditioning process for the role of Spider-Man in the MCU. The 27-year-old actor shared that it was a very typical process but on a grand scale, as it went on for over seven months. He said that he did around seven or eight auditions and had multiple screen tests.
However, something unexpected happened before he went in for his last audition for Spider-Man. He shared that he was “very nervous” for his final audition. While he was trying to learn his lines on his way to the audition, his cab driver was constantly chatting to him.
“He’s chatting to me… and you know I’m a polite person, but I also want to be like, ‘Mate, please shut up, I’m trying to learn my line,” he recalled. The Spider-Man: Homecoming star further shared that the cab driver suddenly told him, “You know what kid, I think you’re going to get it.”
He was excited to hear it until the cab driver added, “I think you’re going to get it because the kid that I just drove there? He is so good-looking.” While he seemed supportive towards Holland, it did not come out right and resulted in shaking his confidence a bit before he eventually became Spider-Man.
How Did Tom Holland Land the Spider-Man Role?
Before Tom Holland took over the mantle of Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield had already portrayed the character. And Holland had to compete against over 1,500 actors to star in the MCU. However, Marvel’s casting head, Sarah Halley Finn, reportedly knew that the Uncharted star was perfect for the role.
“This is the guy. You’re going to love him,” she said as per Collider. While producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal were impressed with his previous performances, director Anthony Russo was interested in his dancing and gymnastics background. Holland did a backflip and a backhandspring during his audition.
In a promotional video for Spider-Man: No Way Home, the cast of the film, including Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, reacted to their audition tapes, in which Holland can be seen showing off his gymnastic skills. He eventually beat several actors, reportedly including the Oscar-nominee Timothée Chalamet, to land the role of Spider-Man in the MCU.
