Tom Holland Debunks ‘The Wildest Rumor’ About Why He Got Sober

Tom Holland in The Crowded Room
(Image credit: Apple TV+)

Tom Holland has become one of the biggest stars in the world due to having played Spider-Man in several Marvel Cinematic Universe movies since 2016. Of course, he's also headlined non-superhero fare like Uncharted and The Devil All the Time. His latest project is The Crowded Room, which the 27-year-old actor said was mentally taxing for him. The actor is quite conscious of the importance of mental health and, for over a year now, Holland has been sober. Rumors about the A-lister's sobriety have swirled since he opened up about it and, now, he's officially debunking "the wildest rumor" he's heard on the matter.

The English actor recently caught up with BuzzFeed to talk about making The Crowded Room and, during the chat, he got candid about his decision to stop drinking alcohol. He also discussed wild tabloid assumptions he's heard about himself, including one bonkers claim that alleges that his sobriety was tied to a behind-the-scenes incident on the set of his new show. He dispelled the assertion, saying:

The wildest rumor that I've ever heard about myself is recently that I decided to become sober after having a meltdown on set, which is wildly untrue. I decided to give up drinking long before I stepped onto the set of The Crowded Room. I was really lucky I did so. I think had I been drinking during the show, it would have been a very different experience.

It seems the now-27-year-old wanted to be clear-minded prior to filming the Apple TV+ production in question. The Chaos Walking star is a very physical peformer, and is no stranger to intensive stunt sequences due to what's expected of him in the Spider-Man films. However, his news drama series seemed to have a greater psychological bent than his previous work. His character has an intense and emotional arc, which reportedly motivated him to prepare in a conscientious way. We can't say for sure that the project itself was the reason he decided to step away from alcohol. However, based on his comments, his experience working on it was better due to the absence of liquor.

The Spider-Man: Homecoming star isn’t the only actor who's given up drinking in recent years. Ben Affleck has been open about his own sobriety after being sent to rehab in 2018. Chrissy Teigen has also gotten candid about making the lifestyle change and has celebrated milestones as they come. The list of sober celebs is long, and many have been open about the positive effects their decision has had on their mental health. By sharing their experiences, many of these stars hope to encourage others who are experiencing struggles that they once faced.

Tom Holland also has been open about how much his sober lifestyle has helped him grow and has been beneficial for him. Aside from that, The Crowded Room seemed to mark a real turning point for Holland, who has announced that he opted to take a break from acting. That decision stemmed from the amount of work that the production required. However, the Avengers: Endgame actor still has plans to return as Spider-Man whenever production on the fourth film starts. But in the meantime, it seems clear that he's enjoying his sobriety and doing what he can to make sure the narrative surrounding it is correct.

You can catch him starring in The Crowded Room, which drops new episodes for Apple TV+ subscribers on Fridays. Fans of the actor can also see some of his iconic performances as Spider-Man so far by streaming MCU movies using a Disney+ subscription. And for more information on other small-screen projects headed to streaming platforms later this year, make sure to consult our 2023 TV schedule.

Caroline Young
Writer

Writer, podcaster, CinemaBlend contributor, film and television nerd, enthusiastic person. Hoping to bring undying passion for storytelling to CinemaBlend.