Tom Holland Says Playing the Lead in ‘The Crowded Room’ Freaked Him Out: “I need to get rid of this character”
The Crowded Room, an upcoming crime thriller on Apple TV+, will star Tom Holland. The first images from the show heightened audience anticipation and raised questions about the actor’s preparation for the role. Without seeing any official scripts, he agreed to join as both its executive producer and star.
The Crowded Room was influenced by a real-life incident that was the basis for the 1981 book The Minds of Billy Milligan. Holland portrayed Danny Sullivan on the show, who is detained following a shooting at the Rockefeller Center in 1979. Through conversations with Detective Rya Goodwin, Danny gains a better understanding of his own mental health, the people in his life, and the tragic events that led to the incident. Billy Milligan was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. Tom Holland recently shared how he stepped into the mind of the character and much more
Tom Holland describes The Crowded Room as an insight into the power of the human mind
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Spider-Man actor Tom Holland said that the show is full of twists and turns and that viewers never know where they are or what is happening before everything abruptly comes to a miraculous conclusion toward the end.
The actor mentioned, “It’s a story about heartbreak. It’s a story about love. It’s a story about betrayal. And, most of all, it’s a story about a young kid’s determination to survive.” Showrunner, writer, and executive producer Akiva Goldsman shared that Holland was the first and the only person he has spoken to about the character Danny Sullivan and he took that character to the next level, adding that his addition was an unbelievably challenging piece.
The showrunner further added, “We shot 130 days in a row. In New York. During COVID, Tom held the center of it in a way that makes the piece work, because he’s so compassionate and compelling and his conviction in the role is extraordinary. I’m excited for him, because I don’t think people have seen him this way.”
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“Danny was where I was able to lean into my more vulnerable side”: Tom Holland
The upcoming psychological thriller show, according to Holland, has helped him touch his vulnerable side a little more, adding,
“I’ve spent so long playing Nathan Drake and playing Spider-Man, who are characters that you can depend on, people you feel safe around, and, ultimately, people that feel really capable. I really enjoyed playing Danny in those earlier episodes where I was able to lean into my more vulnerable side.”
Tom Holland also admitted during the interview that entering such a weighty subject had a negative impact on his mental health. He said that while the physical demands of the job are nothing new to him, the mental challenges are what get to him the most. Holland went on to say that it took him some time to get over this particular character and return to reality.
The Uncharted actor stated that he found himself unable to detach from the character. He explained,
“I was seeing myself in him, but in my personal life. 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.”
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Tom Holland appreciates Sasha Lane for the support
Actress Sasha Lane, who plays Ariana on the show, turned out to be a shoulder Holland needed for guidance and support. He said, “She was so helpful for me because there were moments on set where I really was struggling to understand Danny’s reasoning or Danny’s actions. She would take me aside and be really open and willing to share some of her experiences that were so helpful at the moment.”
Holland added that it was crucial for them to use a fictional point of view rather than a direct one when telling the story. According to Goldsman, the point of view shifts as the narrative frame does, giving the audience a brief shock of new sights.
The actor lastly pointed out during the conversation that through The Crowded Room, viewers will “have more respect and more sympathy for people who are going through mental health issues. I hope that people will feel educated about the powers of mental health, the struggles, [and] our incredible abilities to survive.” He also stated that speaking to psychiatrists about Danny and Billy’s struggles has been something that has been so informative to his own life, as he is able to recognize triggers and things that stress him out like social media.
The first three episodes of the series will debut on Apple TV+ on June 9, with the following seven airing weekly afterward.
Source: EW
