“It really scared me, all I could think was having a drink”: Marvel Star Tom Holland Got into a Painful Battle With Addiction
London-born Tom Holland has become one of the most popular young faces in the entertainment industry ever since he first played the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War (2016). The subsequent releases of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home followed, cementing the Englishman’s place as one of the biggest stars of his generation.
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His relationship with Zendaya, who played Parker’s love interest Michelle “MJ” Jones in the Spider-Man series, also attracted plenty of limelight toward Holland, making his life appear pretty rosy on the surface.
However, the 27-year-old recently took time to talk about his quietly-kept battles with alcohol addiction in daily life.
Tom Holland Sheds Light on His Addiction Struggles
Speaking to the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast, Tom Holland revealed details of his “scary” battle with alcohol addiction and subsequent recovery, which ultimately proved to be the “best” for him. It was a boozy Christmas period in 2022 that really made Holland question his habit.
“It really scared me,” Holland told Shetty. “All I could think about was having a drink. I just was like, ‘Wow, maybe I have a little bit of an alcohol thing.'”
The English culture, which is particularly famous for its offensive banters and affinity for drinking, made Holland’s decision to take a step back from drinking more challenging. But ‘Parker’ displayed the same resilience the Spider-Man shows on screen to overcome hurdles and expertly navigated English societal norms, distancing himself from some friends in the process, to put a break on his drinking habit.
It started with an initial task of remaining sober for two months, which eventually turned into six. Holland started noticing the positive influence of his stance in his day-to-day life. “I could sleep better. I could handle problems better… I had much better mental clarity. I felt healthier, I felt fitter,” Holland said.
A Year and a Half Sober Tom Holland Is Currently on Break
Holland has managed to remain sober for at least a year and a half now, and went to reveal to Shetty that he has inspired his mother to take up the same road, stating: “She’s loving it, and it’s been amazing.”
Away from the drinks, the Uncharted star is currently taking some time off from acting after finishing the shooting for the Apple TV series The Crowded Room. Holland plays the lead character – Danny Sullivan – who is suffering from dissociative identity disorder and is arrested in Manhattan, New York in 1979 for a shocking crime.
On Jay Shetty’s podcast, Holland also talked about his love of soccer and revealed his allegiance lies with FC Barcelona. With no projects to work on at the moment and an objective of avoiding drinking on his mind, the summer presents a perfect opportunity for the talented actor to catch the Spanish soccer club in the United States for their pre-season preparations.
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Source: Marca
