Tom Holland has been very busy with all the acting roles he has had in recent years. However, the actor made a surprise announcement that he will be taking a hiatus from his career after filming his most recent project.
In a recent interview with Extra, Holland revealed that he is taking a year off from filming after the strenuous production of his Apple TV+ crime thriller The Crowded Room. The upcoming series casts Holland as Danny Sullivan, who was arrested in 1979 for his involvement in a shooting at the Rockefeller Center. The new TV show is based on the life story of Billy Milligan who was known as The Campus Rapist.
“It was a tough time, for sure,” Holland shared about filming The Crowded Room. “We were exploring certain emotions that I have definitely never experienced before. And then on top of that, being a producer, dealing with the day-to-day problems that come with any film set, just added that extra level of pressure.”
Holland also serves as a producer for the TV show and says he “loved the learning curve of becoming a producer.” However, acting and producing took its toll on his mental health.
“I’m no stranger to hard work,” Holland explains. “I’ve lived by the idea that hard work is good work. Then again, the show did break me. There did come a time where I needed a break and disappeared and went to Mexico for a week and had time on a beach and laid low. I’m now taking a year off, and that is a result of how difficult this show was. I am excited to see how it turns out. I feel like our hard work wasn’t in vain.”
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly last month, the actor said that working on The Crowded Room caused a “bit of a meltdown” in his personal life.
“I was seeing myself in [the character], but in my personal life,” Holland said. “I remember having a bit of a meltdown at home and thinking, like, ‘I’m going to shave my head. I need to shave my head because I need to get rid of this character.’ And, obviously, we were mid-shooting, so I decided not to… It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.”
He adds, “Learning about mental health and the power of it, and speaking to psychiatrists about Danny and Billy’s struggles, has been something that has been so informative to my own life.”
Holland’s sabbatical from acting may be concerning for fans waiting on Spider-Man 4. The movie is reportedly being fast-tracked and should be part of the Multiverse Saga. This recent development may delay the project significantly.
The actor is no stranger to mental health issues. Last year, he took a break from social media citing his mental well-being as a priority. Holland is also an advocate for mental health with his foundation.
The Crowded Room premieres on Apple TV+ on June 9.
