Tom Holland movie comments turn brutally honest on old press tours
Tom Holland said promoting films he is proud of is easy, unlike past projects he privately felt audiences should skip.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Tom Holland movie comments on the Dish Podcast got blunt as the actor said some past press tours were hard because he did not believe in the films he was selling.
Holland, who is promoting The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day this summer, told the podcast that talking up movies he likes has been “really easy.” He said that when interviewers ask why audiences should buy a ticket, he feels no need to fake enthusiasm if he is proud of the work.
“When you’re doing press for movies you’re really proud of, it’s really easy,” Holland said on the podcast. “Because when they ask you questions about why should people go and watch this movie, you’re not lying to anyone. You really think people should go see it.”
What did Tom Holland say about his movies?
Holland said he has had earlier promotional experiences where the public-facing answer did not match what he was thinking. He described being asked why people should see a movie while privately feeling the opposite.
“I’ve had experiences before when people say, ‘Why should you see this movie?’ And in the back of your mind, you’re like, ‘You shouldn’t, because it’s shit,’” Holland said.
The actor did not attach that remark to a specific title in the quoted exchange. His comments were framed around the difference between promoting work he believes in and selling a project he does not feel comfortable recommending.
Holland said his current run feels different. Discussing the publicity push for The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, he said it has felt “like a bit of a victory lap” and added that he is “super proud” of both films.
What is Tom Holland promoting now?
The Odyssey, an adaptation of the ancient epic, stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, who faces trials and mythic encounters while trying to return home after the Trojan War. Anne Hathaway plays Penelope, and Holland plays Telemachus.
Deadline reported that The Odyssey crossed $300 million worldwide in its first week. The film is one of Holland’s two summer releases currently putting him back on the press circuit.
Holland is also returning as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, his fourth solo outing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie is set to open in theaters July 31.
According to the film details reported by Deadline, Brand New Day picks up four years after Doctor Strange’s spell made the world forget Peter Parker. Holland’s Spider-Man is now protecting New York City anonymously while his powers begin to change in dangerous ways.
For Holland, the contrast appears to be the point: a press tour can be smooth when the star believes the movie deserves the pitch. His Dish Podcast remarks offered a rare peek at the awkward side of celebrity promotion, where an actor may be expected to sell a film even when the sales job feels forced.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.