English actor Tom Holland, most known for his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has been sober for nearly three years, citing the decision as a factor in improving his mental clarity and overall health.
In Jan. 2022, the actor participated in Dry January, a popular month-long challenge to abstain from alcohol. He was surprised at how much he struggled with it, and as a form of “punishment,” he continued to remain sober for the next month as well. He realized the longer he refrained from drinking alcohol, the harder it became, and that’s when he realized, “I have a bit of an alcohol thing.”
In an interview with Men’s Health, Holland opened up about that time in his life, saying that although he didn’t have “bad experiences” while drinking, it became a part of his routine. “I would drink enough so that I would ruin my next day,” he stated. Despite the difficulties of staying sober, he remained committed, extending his original goal and maintaining his commitment to this day. However, his resolve to stay sober was challenged on a few occasions.
In May 2022, just months into his journey to sobriety, Holland was shooting the Apple TV+ psychological thriller miniseries, The Crowded Room, and the atmosphere on set wasn’t pleasant. “There was quite a lot of animosity on that set. It was not a very harmonious place, and there [was] a lot of arguing and butting heads,” Holland shared.
Tom Holland launched his own non-alcoholic beer brand
In The Crowded Room, Holland took on the role of Danny Sullivan, a troubled young man arrested for his involvement in a New York City shooting. He served as executive producer as well. The non-fiction book The Minds of Billy Milligan inspired the series, which focused on the story of Billy Milligan, the first person in the U.S. to successfully use multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder (DID) as a defense. The series also stars Amanda Seyfried, Emmy Rossum, Sasha Lane, Lior Raz, and Will Chase.
While creative minds often clash on set, Holland clarified that the issues weren’t due to creative differences. He chose not to elaborate on the specifics, though he admitted the tense energy challenged his sobriety. His old self might have hit the bottle, but he stuck to his goal, thinking that going back to drinking alcohol would only make the situation worse for him. It helped that he was tenacious and found a support system in his family, friends, and colleagues. One piece of advice that stuck with him was given by his lawyer, who said, “You’ll never wake up the morning after a night out and wish you had a drink.”
Holland’s friends love having drinks, and although they never pressure him into breaking his sobriety, he wants to feel included when they go out. The actor felt there was a lack of options, which inspired him to create his own non-alcoholic beer, Bero. “Bero represents a fantastic opportunity to help people, like myself, who are trying to be sober or explore a life of moderation,” Holland said.
Holland took a much-needed break after playing Danny Sullivan, which was mentally exhausting. He is set to return to the big screen in Spider-Man 4 and has also been cast in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, where he will star alongside his girlfriend Zendaya.
Published: Jan 2, 2025 11:54 pm