Tom Holland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tom Holland
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Holland in 2023
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Thomas Stanley Holland
1 June 1996 London, England
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| Education | Wimbledon College |
| Alma mater | BRIT School |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2006–present |
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Roles and awards |
| Partner(s) | Zendaya (2021–present) |
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Thomas Stanley Holland (born June 1, 1996) is a talented English actor. He has won many awards, including a BAFTA Award and three Saturn Awards. His movies, where he plays a main character, have earned over $9.9 billion worldwide. This makes him one of the highest-grossing film actors of all time. In 2019, he was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list.
Tom Holland's journey in acting began when he was nine years old. He joined a dancing class, where a choreographer noticed his talent. This led to an audition for Billy Elliot the Musical in London. After two years of training, he got a supporting role in 2008. Later that year, he took on the main role of Billy Elliot, which he played until 2010.
Holland made his first movie appearance in the disaster drama The Impossible (2012). He played a teenage tourist caught in a tsunami. His performance received great praise. After this, Holland decided to become a full-time actor. He appeared in How I Live Now (2013) and played historical figures in In the Heart of the Sea (2015) and the TV miniseries Wolf Hall (2015).
Holland became famous around the world for playing Peter Parker/Spider-Man. He appeared in six Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) superhero films. His first appearance as Spider-Man was in Captain America: Civil War (2016). The next year, Holland won the BAFTA Rising Star Award. He also became the youngest actor to play a main role in an MCU film with Spider-Man: Homecoming. Its sequels, Far From Home (2019) and No Way Home (2021), each earned over $1 billion worldwide. No Way Home was the highest-grossing film of 2021. Holland also starred in the action film Uncharted (2022). He has also taken on different kinds of roles in dramas like The Devil All the Time (2020) and Cherry (2021). Holland directed a short film called Tweet (2015). He has also lent his voice to animated movies such as Spies in Disguise (2019) and Onward (2020).
Tom Holland: A Young Actor's Journey
Early Life and School Days
Thomas Stanley Holland was born on June 1, 1996, in Kingston upon Thames, London. His mother, Nicola, is a photographer, and his father, Dominic Holland, is a comedian and author. He has three younger brothers. His family has roots in Ireland and the Isle of Man. He lives near his parents and brothers in Kingston upon Thames. His parents' creative jobs often inspire him. He sees his father as a role model who has helped him with his career.
Holland went to Donhead Preparatory School, a Catholic school for boys in Wimbledon. When he was seven, he learned he had dyslexia. His parents sent him and his brothers to a private school to ensure he received the support he needed. This helped him, but it was also a financial challenge for his family. Later, Holland attended Wimbledon College. He then went to the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon.
As he grew up, Holland thought about different jobs. When he was a child, he loved Janet Jackson's songs and often danced to them. His mother enrolled him in a dance class. In his teenage years, Holland briefly studied carpentry in Cardiff, Wales. He also considered becoming a primary school teacher because he enjoys being with children.
Starting His Acting Career
At nine years old, Holland started hip hop dance classes. He performed with his school group at a dance festival in 2006. There, a choreographer named Lynne Page noticed him. She helped him get an audition for Billy Elliot the Musical. The musical's director, Stephen Daldry, saw his great potential. After two years of training in ballet, tap dancing, and acrobatics, Holland won the role of Michael Caffrey. He made his debut at the Victoria Palace Theatre in June 2008. During his time in the musical, Holland also learned gymnastics. He has shared that some peers at school teased him about his dancing.
In 2008, Holland was promoted to the main role of Billy Elliot. On his first day playing Billy, he had tonsillitis but still performed well. After his success on stage, Holland hoped to be more popular at school. He found it hard to fit in with his peers after working in a professional environment. This affected his school grades. After finishing Billy Elliot the Musical in 2010, Holland voiced a character in the British version of the animated film Arrietty (2011). He then sent an audition tape for the film The Impossible (2012). The director, Juan Antonio Bayona, was impressed and cast him in the movie.
From Stage to Screen: First Big Roles
In The Impossible, Holland played a teenager caught with his family in a tsunami. Moving from stage to film was new for him. He and co-star Naomi Watts filmed challenging scenes in a large water tank. Working with Watts helped Holland realize he wanted to act forever. The film was a big success and Holland received much praise for his acting. He won several awards, including the National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance. Holland also appeared in the drama film How I Live Now (2013). He lent his voice to Locke (2013) and had a small appearance in Billy Elliot the Musical Live (2014).
Becoming Spider-Man: A Global Star
In 2015, Holland appeared in four episodes of the historical miniseries Wolf Hall. He played Gregory Cromwell, the son of the main character. He also directed a 3-minute short film called Tweet (2015). Holland has expressed interest in directing more films in the future. Also in 2015, he co-starred in Ron Howard's historical adventure-drama In the Heart of the Sea. He played a teenage sailor named Thomas Nickerson. For this role, he and his co-stars, including Chris Hemsworth, lost a lot of weight. Holland performed most of his own stunts in the film.
In June 2015, Holland signed a deal with Marvel Studios to play Peter Parker / Spider-Man. Growing up, Holland was a huge fan of Spider-Man. He even owned many costumes and bed sheets of the character. He auditioned against 1,500 other teenagers from around the world. Producers were impressed by his previous work. The directors also noted his dancing and gymnastics background as reasons to cast him. Stan Lee, the creator of Spider-Man, said Holland was the perfect age and height for the character.
Exciting New Challenges in Film
Holland first appeared as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War (2016). The film was a huge success, earning over $1.1 billion worldwide. Critics praised Holland's performance as Spider-Man. In 2016, Holland also starred in the thriller Edge of Winter. At the 70th British Academy Film Awards in 2017, Holland won the Rising Star Award.
Holland's next film was The Lost City of Z (2017). He played the son of an explorer searching for a lost city. During filming, he broke his nose doing a backflip. Later in 2017, Holland played Samuel Insull in The Current War.
Holland's second film in 2017 was his solo movie as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Homecoming. This made him the youngest actor to play a main role in the MCU. Holland wanted to bring new energy to the character. To prepare, he attended a high school in the Bronx for a few days. He found that other students did not believe he was Spider-Man, which mirrored the film's story. Homecoming and Holland's performance received positive reviews. The film earned over $800 million worldwide. Holland's final role in 2017 was in the Irish film Pilgrimage. That year, Holland also performed with Zendaya on Lip Sync Battle. His parents started The Brothers Trust, a charity that uses his fame to help good causes.
Beyond Spider-Man: Diverse Roles
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Holland continued his role as Spider-Man in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Both films earned over $2 billion. Endgame briefly became the highest-grossing film of all time. He then starred in the sequel Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019). This film was the first Spider-Man movie to earn $1 billion. Critics praised Holland as a "note-perfect Spider-Man." He won his third Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor for Far From Home. He also voiced characters in animated films like Spies in Disguise (2019), Dolittle (2020), and Onward (2020).
Holland starred in The Devil All the Time (2020), a serious drama set after World War II. He said he was nervous about playing such a challenging character. However, he enjoyed the experience, though it was emotionally demanding. Critics noted his convincing performance.
In 2021, Holland starred in three films. First was the crime drama Cherry. He played a college student dealing with emotional challenges after joining the army. He also played a character facing tough choices and personal struggles. To prepare, Holland shaved his head and spoke with military veterans. He also changed his weight for the role. Critics felt the film showed his range as an actor. Next, he starred with Daisy Ridley in Chaos Walking.
In December 2021, Holland returned as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home. He found it interesting to switch back to playing the "naïve, charming teenager" after more mature roles. He called No Way Home the "most ambitious standalone superhero movie ever made." Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, it became the highest-grossing film of 2021. It was also the first film since 2019 to earn over $1 billion. Critics praised the film and Holland's performance.
Future Projects and Creative Work
After No Way Home, Holland expressed some doubt about continuing as Spider-Man after he turns 30. He also shared a desire to see a Spider-Man film with Miles Morales as the main character. In 2022, Holland starred as a young Nathan Drake in the film Uncharted, based on the video game series. To prepare, he even worked shifts at a London pub. While the film received mixed reviews, Holland's star power helped its success.
Holland executive produced and starred in the Apple TV+ miniseries The Crowded Room (2023). He played a character based on Billy Milligan. This role was very emotionally taxing for him. He later said he would take a year off to recover. In May 2024, he returned to the stage as Romeo in a West End play of Romeo and Juliet.
In 2024, Holland started his own production company, Billy17, and made a deal with Sony Pictures. He is starring in Christopher Nolan's film The Odyssey, based on the epic poem. In 2025, Holland described this film as the best experience of his career. He said, "I couldn’t have asked for a better job. And I’m so proud of the work I’ve done. I came to work every day with a real sense of purpose and a point to prove, and I’m so grateful for Chris to have given me that opportunity." He is also set to star in the fourth Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. He had a minor injury during filming, which caused a brief pause in production for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Tom Holland's Personal Life
Holland prefers to keep his personal life private. He has mentioned dealing with the challenges of fame, like privacy concerns. He is a big fan of the professional football club Tottenham Hotspur.
Tom Holland is in a relationship with his Spider-Man co-star Zendaya. They have spoken about the importance of privacy. He has shared that he has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Acting Credits and Awards
See also
In Spanish: Tom Holland para niños
