Tom Holland has spoken about the toll the physical transformation for his latest film role took on him, saying it was “awful”.
The Spider-Man actor plays the title character in the Russo Brothers’ film Cherry, about an army veteran who becomes a bank robber to fund his drug addiction.
The 24-year-old told British GQ: “I lost around 27lb by running in a bin bag every day.”
“It was awful. Truly. It was only about 10 weeks out of shooting that I realised what I was getting into and what I need to do to transform into the role. So I sat down with my trainer, George Ashwell, and he told me ‘Right, you need to eat only 500 calories a day and run 10 miles. Go.’ Great. It was brutal.
“And then bulking up, going from a drug addict to shooting scenes as a marine? I got very sick, actually. And it’s changed my relationship with food completely. I think I would find it very difficult to find a role that would warrant that sort of abuse on my body again.”
The film, which will premiere on Apple TV+ in March, is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, and is based on the book of the same name.
Holland, who appears on the cover of British GQ’s April edition, said the role took him to some “dark places”.
He told the magazine: “This role took me to some of the darkest places I have ever been, emotionally, physically, anythingly… I would never go back there again, not for anyone. I am pleased I did it, but that door is now closed and locked.”
The forthcoming Spider-Man film, titled No Way Home, sees Holland reprise his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man alongside Zendaya as MJ and Jacob Batalon as Parker’s best friend, Ned Leeds.
– The full interview is in the April issue of British GQ, available via digital download and on newsstands from March 4.
