How Tom Holland Beat 1,500 Actors for Spider-Man Role

Tom Holland had a serious uphill battle to land the role of Spider-Man back in 2015, and it wasn’t just because of the stiff competition. 

Marvel Studios scoured the globe to find the perfect actor to take on the iconic superhero, and Holland, who was just 19 at the time, beat out over 1,500 contenders—including the now massive star, Timothée Chalamet.

But Holland didn’t rely solely on his acting chops to secure the role. With a background in dance and acrobatics, including a lead role in the West End production of Billy Elliot, Holland brought something extra to the table: athleticism. 

In his audition tape, he didn’t just deliver his lines. He flipped into the frame with a backflip, showcasing the kind of physicality that would make Spider-Man truly come to life.

“He was just so young and sweet, and charming,” said director Jon Watts in a recent Men’s Health interview. “And then, in the audition, he did a full backflip—a standing backflip—on top of being great on tape. It was like watching a video of the real Peter Parker.”

It wasn’t just Watts who was impressed. Avengers: Endgame director Anthony Russo also saw Holland’s natural qualities as a perfect fit for Spider-Man. “He had that movie-star quality,” Russo said. “The charisma, the confidence, the energy.”

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Of course, Holland’s take on Spider-Man would go on to be a huge success. His character played pivotal roles in three of the 10 highest-grossing films of all time, cementing him as a fan favorite.

But as much as his acrobatic skills helped him land the role of a lifetime, Holland admits that age is catching up with him. Now 28, the actor says his body no longer handles physical stunts like it used to. He shared with Men’s Health that after doing a backflip for a younger cousin, he ended up pulling every muscle in his stomach.

“I landed it, but I pulled every muscle in my stomach,” Holland recalled. “For weeks, I couldn’t laugh because my stomach was so sore.”

While he may not be flipping as often, Holland’s legacy as the lovable, athletic Spider-Man is already locked in.