SpotlightFar From Home: An Interview With Spider-Man Star Tom Holland

Known for playing Peter Parker and his alter-ego, ‘your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man’ since his first appearance as the Marvel superhero in Captain America: Civil War (2016), actor Tom Holland started out in theatre, in London’s West End. His first appearance in a motion picture was in the Oscar-nominated film The Impossible (2012), which is set during the catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. This was followed by appearances in TV shows as well as other feature films. In 2015, it was announced that he would play a teenage Spider-Man—a role with which he would later endear audiences worldwide in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). After joining the rest of Marvel’s Avengers in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame earlier this year, Tom Holland is set to reprise his role in his second standalone Spider-Man film this week. We met at the Four Seasons Hotel in Bali and chatted about Spider-Man: Far From Home, about watches, and about time that flies. It’s hard to believe that Holland, who is now 23 years old, has already portrayed Spider-Man five times.

How does it feel the fifth time around?

Amazing. It feels like yesterday that I was cast in this role. Of all the films I’ve done in this [Marvel cinematic] universe, this is the one that I am most proud of. It was the hardest one to make, and it’s the biggest feat and the biggest risk that we have taken with the character. I’m really excited to see what you will think of it; we have a lot in store for my character.

Tom Holland as Spider-Man in a still from 'Spider-Man: Far From Home', with co-star Jake Gyllenhaal, who plays Mysterio

What made this the hardest one to make?

The last one, Endgame, seems to have impressed everyone, so with this one we didn’t want to disappoint. We knew that the stakes were higher. Creatively and emotionally, the arc of Spider-Man has this really dramatic trajectory. And he has really matured, more than I have as a person, so at times I felt like I was reaching to play this character. And physically, we pushed the stunts to the limit. There’s a sequence in Venice and I’m not wearing the Spider-Man mask, so I would say that I did 99 percent of the stunts, from pole vaulting up a 30-foot bridge, to running across poles and flipping off of buildings…it was crazy. I got a few knocks and bruises.

Set in Europe, where Peter Parker and his schoolmates are on a summer field trip, 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' presents challenges of the continental variety for the teenage superhero

How has the Spider-Man outfit evolved over the years? Did you ever make any requests to make it more ‘everyday friendly’?

It’s funny. The one think that I asked for was a zipper, so that I could go to that bathroom. And they didn’t give me one. The biggest change has been the helmet. In the first one, I had to wear this helmet on my head and it broke one day, and cut my face really bad. The helmet under the suit was much more comfortable this time. But I was still unable to go to the toilet. During the first film, I think I’d spent 11 hours in the suit. So when I ring my mum, I say, “Mum, I had a really rough day. I spent 11 hours in the suit and I didn’t go to the toilet.” She hangs up the phone a little bit angry, and then the next day, the producer comes up to me and says, “Hey Tom, can we talk?” I’m like, “Sure, what happened?” I’m thinking I’m in trouble, and he goes, “How are your kidneys?” I say they’re fine, and he tells me that my mum called him and said that that he needed to let me go to the bathroom!

Did you have any back-up profession, had this one failed?

As a matter of fact, I did. I went through a rough stage in my career where I must have gone to 50 or 60 auditions and did not get a single job. And then my mum packed my bags, sent me to Cardiff in Wales, and I did this carpentry course. So I’m a qualified carpenter in England. I did that for a while and really enjoyed it.

Now that you can afford nice things, what have you bought that you’ve always wanted to own?

When I was 12 years old, I went to New York with my dad for the first time, and we were walking down 59th Street. There’s a store there that has the most amazing sculptures—these brass people walking. They have no torsos; they look like they are floating. I finally bought one; not for me, but for my dad.

Tom Holland has been spotted wearing watches from various brands, such as this Baume & Mercier

What watch are you wearing?

It’s a Cartier.

The Baume & Mercier watch that Tom Holland is seen wearing here is a Classima timepiece, with an aperture at 12 o'clock that reveals a part of the movement inside

This automatic watch is set in a 40mm steel case, with sapphire crystal on the front and at the back. It features blued steel hands, and a brown alligator leather strap

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What kind of watches do you like and why?

I’ve certainly become a bit of a watch guy. But I’m always too afraid to buy them because they are expensive. This one is a Cartier Santos, which I really like because I think it’s a sophisticated watch. You can wear it with a suit or even a T-shirt, and it’s an everyday watch too. But I have treated myself to a few nice watches that I keep in a safe and wear for special occasions. I’m a huge fan of watches and cars. I recently had my grandparents and my mum over. I said to my mum, “You know I’ve been successful, so I think I will treat myself to something, I’m going to buy a sports car, like a Porsche or something.” And she freaked out, “You can’t buy a sports car. Absolutely not.” But my grandfather was in favour of it, so when I go home maybe my grandfather and I will go on a shopping trip.

Since we just spoke about watches, what does time mean to you?

Time is a luxury, since I’ve been so busy. If I get the time, I would go golfing with my dad. My brother is here with me in Bali and I’ve been golfing with him. Oh, when I finish these rounds of interviews, I’m going to stay in Bali for a while and my brother and I will go scuba diving.

Holland has also been spotted wearing Piaget on more than one occasion

Here, Holland is seen wearing a Patek Philippe