Tom Holland is one of the most popular young actors in Hollywood and has proved his mettle with movies like The Impossible, Uncharted, and more. The actor has gained a massive fan following and immense popularity by starring as Peter Parker in MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy. The 26 years old actor has already paved his way to stardom with his beeline of successful movies so far. The actor has impressed us by appearing in a total of six MCU movies, donning the Spider suit and saving the world alongside the Avengers.
Tom Holland is known for his delightful and bouncy portrayal of Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. It adds lightness to the character. Nevertheless, the actor has also played some dark roles in other movies, for which his acting was highly appreciated. In Cherry, he played an opioid-addicted guy in Iraq, which demanded a lot out of the charming actor.
Tom Holland on his preparation for the role
Spider-Man: Homecoming star Tom Holland was in a game-changing role as a heroin addict in Cherry. It is an indie film directed by the Russo Brothers.
Talking about his journey in the shoot of the film he shared with GQ,
“Have you ever taken heroin before? Because I have not. I couldn’t sit there on set and inject heroin into my chest — that’s not how it is done. I had to get it right. 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.”
Holland’s performance in Cherry was truly surprising. It makes one almost feel the chemicals gushing around in his pale gasping veins as he injects drugs into his body. His skin seemed pale almost like an illness. It is a toxic love story of a drug addict, set before and after the Iraq War of 2003.
Tom Holland took notes from a former junkie
Talking about his character being a drug addict, Holland wanted to make his character look very real. Hence he took the assistance of a former junkie. Brian used to be a junkie, now he instructs actors about the deliverance of gut-punching authenticity. Holland shared,
“I needed to make the drug taking and the drug aftermath look realistic. I had to get wired, without getting wired, if you know what I mean? So I got myself a secret weapon. His name was Brian.”
Talking about Brian, Tom Holland shared,
“He works in a rehab clinic, but he would come to set and advise on things like drug street names, how much certain drugs should cost, what their effect would be to me and how to take them.”
On being asked about the things taught by Brian, Holland said,
“It was like how an addict would lick the drop of blood off their needle’s entry wound on the skin of their inside forearm to get the last possible bit of dope. Or the rush of taking a ‘speedball’ before a robbery – heroin mixed with cocaine – compared to the sleepy, wooziness of taking just heroin. Stuff that I just wouldn’t have known.”
Cherry is a 2021 crime drama film directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, adapted from a screenplay by Angela Russo-Otstot and Jessica Goldberg. It is based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Nico Walker.
