English actor talks Spider-Man: No Way Home during a spoiler-free virtual event
The wait is almost over and Spider-Man: No Way Home, by Jon Watts, will debut Italian cinemas on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, and in U.S. theaters on December 17.
Last Sunday, December 12, 2021, Tom Holland participated in a secret virtual event at Cinecittà Studios in Rome, Italy: the English actor, appeared as a hologram-shaped image, live from Los Angeles, to answer press questions about the new Spider-Man film.
We know little about Marvel’s new chapter, Spider-Man: No Way Home, except for the few lines of the plot that have been already revealed: set after the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), we follow Peter Parker’s new troubled life, after Mysterio exposed his identity. Parker asks Dr. Strange to help restore his secret identity with magic, but something goes wrong during the spell: five supervillains from alternate realities, who fought different versions of Spider-Man, will make their comeback.
Here is what Holland said during the 30-minute press conference moderated by Italian host Alessandro Cattelan.
Tom, how does it feel to be part of this new chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
«It’s incredibly exciting: we have all been working so hard. These films exist in a universe that requires you, as an actor, to navigate different storylines, differente franchises, so it’s been a lot of work to finally get to this moment, the combination of these universes and characters is really rewarding and I’m very excited to be here with you guys and give you the inside goss.»
Spider-Man is fun, but he’s also a dramatic character. As an actor, what does using this shade mean to you?
«Well, I think that sometimes these films can be misconstrued as pop-corn movies in this broad superhero kind of franchise. So when you get to find a character and especially a script like the one we’re promoting today, that is incredibly dramatic and that requires to use my skills and abilities, it’s really exciting. There are scenes in this movies I’m incredibly proud of. There’s a scene in particular with Zendaya, Jacob Batalon and myself which is very beautiful. But these films are also lighthearted and funny so it’s the perfect balance.»
Your character is also and icon and an example for many young people, especially introverts: Peter Parker himself is an invitation to come out of the shell and live to the fullest. Do you feel this responsibility?
«It’s a huge responsibility: playing Spider-Man is definitely much more than just having a job. I think there are kids out there struggling for different reasons and they look to Spider-Man the way forward, for a moment of levity or just to escape from their lives. That’s a wonderful thing about cinema: it’s an art of escapism. So for me that responsibility is something I wear proudly, it’s something I take very seriously. To me what’s more important about this film is touching people, more than breaking records or stuff like that. Also making fans around the world feel like they’re part of something bigger, part of a family. We all hope to bring some joy to the world with this film, especially after this couple of years.»
You were 18 when you started playing this role and now you’re 25: is there anything Spider-Man gave to you?
«The list is endless: it changed my life, I met friends, I’ve had relationships that will go on forever and I’m so grateful for; I’ve learned life lessons throughout the last six years on how to be professional, how to be respectful and how to manage a life of fame and also a life of creativity. It’s been an endless lesson for me and what’s interesting is that Spider-Man 3 is about dealing with fame: I feel like I’ve been learning from Peter Parker and he’s been learning from me, because he’s been going through what I’ve been through.»
This new chapter deals also with growing up, exactly as it happened in your real life in the last six years: how did it feel to grow up with Spider-Man and working with icons like Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina?
«It’s incredible. Spider-Man has always been my favorite character as a child so it’s been an honor to bring him to life. Also to get the opportunity to share the screen with some of my favorite villains from the past it just made the reward even better. It’s been interesting to see these actor to embody these characters again. They were very kind, they made the experience much more enjoyable and I think the fans will love seeing these characters come back to life and the changes that we’ve made in order to give them a fresh take.»
