“Whenever I break down a character, the first thing I do is I’ll pick out the moments that I relate to with the character,” reveals Tom Holland in our recent webchat. He adds, “I build on that. That’s how I make a character that is true to myself while representing different things. With ‘The Crowded Room,’ I couldn’t really find anything. It feels like the biggest departure from myself. I really don’t see myself in it at all. It’s liberating to watch, but it’s quite scary when you’re doing it. Danny felt like a real stranger. I felt like I didn’t know him at all. It felt quite unnerving.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
The Apple TV+ limited series is a fictional story inspired by the first man acquitted of a crime because of dissociative identity disorder as told in the novel ‘on “The Minds of Billy Milligan.” Holland plays Danny Sullivan who assumes different identifies, called ‘alters,’ to cope with past trauma. It’s a role requiring deft precision as Holland’s performance incorporates the identities of five ‘alters,’ including an assertive British father figure called Mike.
It’s a stark departure from playing Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for Holland. Yet, the actor admits playing the famed web-slinger proved helpful. He says, “As an actor, your face is your superpower. If you take that away, and put someone in a mask, it’s really difficult to emote. Having done that for maybe eight years has given me a great sense of confidence in my physicality. Whether it’s the way Danny walks, or the confidence that Mike has. I always was confident I was doing the right thing with my body.”
In the series final, Danny faces trail for a violent crime and takes the stand. Danny attempts to wrestle control back from the ‘alter’ of Mike to prove his innocence. Holland confesses, “Playing one person pretending to be another person while internally playing the person you are pretending to be is a real mind f***. I remember reading that scene and panicking. It was tough and I felt really vulnerable. It was like being on stage. But I was loving it, because what I was trying to achieve was happening. As much as it was daunting and I was crying my eyes out, I was relishing my hard work paying off.”
Throughout the series Holland acts opposite Amanda Seyfried. She plays the Rya, the psychologist who discovers his condition. Holland explains, “What we were doing was dark and intense. But even when it was sad and emotional, we still had fun with time to laugh and talk. We were knitting and having a good time. She really did bring such a positive energy.”
The series was adapted by Oscar-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (“A Beautiful Mind”). Holland explains, “Akiva was adamant about the responsibility of telling a story about mental health from a positive point of view. And to serve as an education to people, like myself, who had no idea the power of the human mind. For me that responsibility was pretty heavy.”
Holland reflects, “I always try to find a way where audiences can see themselves. The earlier episodes we were portraying Danny as this vulnerable kid who was struggling to fit in. The majority of people have experienced that. I wanted people to feel connected to him. So when you suddenly find it difficult to relate to him, you empathize with him. You feel you know him and you love him.”
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