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Exclusive | Zendaya and Tom Holland on Spider-Man, growing together and why ‘pressure is a privilege
Tom Holland: ‘Pressure is a privilege’ as Spider-Man: Brand New Day gears up for release
Hollywood’s favourite couple, Zendaya and Tom Holland, may not have hard-launched their new chapter as a married couple, but they’re pulling out all the stops to promote the fourth instalment of the very franchise that brought them together a decade ago — Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The couple have been globetrotting to promote two of the summer’s biggest releases, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. During the London leg of the promotions, the newlyweds spoke exclusively to HT City about sharing screen space once again, the privilege and pressure of returning to the beloved franchise, and their pre-release food rituals.
They were joined by co-star Jacob Batalon for the conversation. Read the excerpts from the conversation below:
HT City: Congratulations Tom and Zendaya. It has been a special year for you both
Tom Holland and Zendaya: Thank you.
HT City: Four films over a decade together, not just as people but as actors. So what's the one thing about this experience that's changed for you, and one thing that's not moved an inch.
Zendaya: I think a lot of things. I think we've grown up a lot.. But I also feel like when we are all together,we start acting like kids again. You know what I mean? Like we bring that kind of childish joy and like youthful like reckless abandon in each other. Yes, we have all grown a lot but we are still the same kids at the very beginning
Tom Holland: I Agree
HT City: So what does Brand New Day mean for you?
Tom Holland: I think it feels like the beginning of a new era and the start of a new chapter. We made a really big decision at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, where we, you know, I can't speak more on that. Peter Parker made the sacrifice where everyone you know forgets who he is, and you know we really deal with that, the consequences of that head on, and I think it's just really exciting.
HT City: The fact is when you know each other so closely, as people and are well attuned to how the person's going to react in every situation. But when you're together in this case working on screen, have you ever been caught off guard and saying, "Hey, I didn't expect this”, or have been caught off guard?
Tom Holland: Well, there's one scene in particular in this movie that I can't talk about because it is highly secretive. But that definitely happened…
HT City: And what about you Zendaya? When you're working with him, does like sometimes does he surprise you?
Tom Holland (interrupting): Yeah, yeah, tell me.
Zendaya: Yes it’s pretty much with these two( Tom and Jacob) I never know what they will do when they get together and then they start riffing off each other. I never know where or which direction they could go in. And I mean any direction and mostly gets left in the cutting room, since it’s not usable. So that's kind of fun. It's kind of never knowing when they're like, I don't know, what fun things you're gonna find in the scene.
Tom Holland: Yes pretty much, and most of it is not usable. But there's just always that little bit of gold in there and. It just makes the cut right at the end.
HT City: And how does Zendaya surprise you then, Tom?
Tom: I think in exactly the same ways. I think you know we're actors that really love to just have fun on set and try new things and think outside the box, improvise, and you know keep everyone on their toes.
HT City: There is so much of anticipation, and we know what's happening with the movies in the world. But this is one franchise thats universally loved. Does the anticipation come with its own pressure, or does it excite you all?
Tom Holland: I think both of those things are true. In in some circumstances, pressure is a privilege, and you know we're really lucky to be a part of these films and to make these movies. And I think understanding that there is a great amount of anticipation and excitement for these movies is a great motivator. And I think all three of us have always taken the responsibility of you know representing these characters really to heart.
HT City: Also like your fans one is curious to know is there a ritual you do before a film releases, it could be something even absurd.
Zendaya: I don't know if I have a ritual, but I do feel like on particular sets, I'll find a food, and I'll just stick with it, and that's like all I will eat through the whole shoot. On Spiderman 3 I had the same pasta everyday for months.For Brand New Day they made those like potato things every morning and I'll eat those every morning with a little dipping sauce. It's just I don't know, but I associate different movies with different foods. For Dune I ate so many peanut butter jellies sandwiches, and they are great. They're great, and they're hard to mess up. It's a good set food. So yeah, early Euphoria had so many cool ranch Doritos. Like it's just it's funny that like you just get stuck on a food or a thing, and that like represents the film for you. I mean I don't know if it's like a it's like a ritual thing, but it's like you just gotta kind of stay consistent throughout the shooting of it.
Tom Holland: I really don’t have a ritual but I do carry a lot of Peter Parker with me.
HT City: So how much are you like your characters, or how have the characters influenced you?
Tom Holland: Maybe I try and live my life a little bit like Peter in the sense that he's just super positive all the time. Yes, I think that's probably something I try to do. Being positive is something I really work towards and imbibe
Jacob Batalon: I have tried being positive, not super positive, but I try to be not as pessimistic anymore. So that's pretty great.
Zendaya: They Have MJ who balances them.I like her weird odd ball energy. so thats great.
