Tom Holland

Tom Holland was born on the 1st of June 1996, in the affluent area of Kingston upon Thames in London. The creative arts are in his blood with his mother Nicola being a photographer and his father Dominic an author and comedian. He has a particularly close relationship with his father and considers him to be a big inspiration. His father has also played an important role in keeping Tom level-headed as his celebrity profile has risen. Tom has three younger brothers who are also actors. One of his brothers even had a role in Spiderman, unfortunately his scene was cut from the final film. He regularly brings his family along to film premieres and press events.It was his mother who played a key role in his entrance into the entertainment industry, although she perhaps didn't realise it at the time. When she saw Tom dancing to a Janet Jackson song, she decided to enrol him into dance school. This was a decision that would change his future foreverTom's professional career began when he signed on to play the titular role of Billy Elliot in the London stage production at the age of 11. He was encouraged to audition after being seen at his dance school and although he didn't have the same classical dance training that some of the other boys did, he caught the eye of the director for his resemblance to Jamie Bell (the actor who played Billy in the screen version of the musical). He also impressed with his acrobatic abilities having studied gymnastics at his dance school.

Photograph: DenP Images (CC-BY-SA-2.0)

After completing a course at B.R.I.T's school for Performing Arts and Technology, Tom's film career began. He was cast as Lucas in The Impossible alongside Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. The role earned him a Hollywood Spotlight Award as well as a Breakthrough Actor Award and Best Youth Performance Award. Tom went on to star in a number of films in the years to follow but his biggest role came in 2016; a role that would make Tom Holland a household name.

Tom was awarded the role of Spider-Man after beating out other notable actors including Timothy Chalamet. It was a role he manifested from a young age, as he was often seen dressed up as the character as a child and made note of his desire to play the role in a press interview just four years before he was cast. He even posted a photo of a Spiderman pop doll on his car dashboard just one year before landing the role. Tom's casting made him the youngest actor in a titular role in the Marvel Comics Universe, earning him a spot in the Guinness World Records. Not only was Spider-Man a big moment for the actor's professional career but it was also significant for his personal life too. It was here that he met now girlfriend Zendaya. Although the two actors tried to keep their relationship a secret, the pair were outed when Paparazzi shots of them kissing were released to the media. As Tom prepares to hang up the Spiderman suit, he has expressed his desire to see something different in the next incarnation of the Beloved superhero. Speaking to People Magazine Tom said; "I would love to see a future of Spider-Man that's more diverse — maybe you have a Spider-Gwen or a Spider-Woman," he adds. "We've had three Spider-Mans in a row; we've all been the same. It'd be nice to see something different."

The release of films 'Cherry' and 'The Devil All the Time', offered Tom a chance to prove he was more than just an action movie star. Tom has signed on to play Fred Astaire in an upcoming biopic about the American dancer, actor and singer. Not a lot is known about the film which is still in pre-production however, with his background in dance and gymnastics one this is clear; Tom Holland is more than qualified for the role.

Interesting Facts

1. Tom famously went up against Zendaya in a lip sync battle that's not easily forgotten and although his performance showed off how skilled a dancer and acrobat he really is, for Tom it was one of the most stressful things he's ever done in his life and he said he will never do it again.

2. Tom's background in dance and gymnastics has benefited more than just his lip sync battle. The athletic actor does many of his own stunts. He even completed stunts in Spider-Man that could easily have been done with CGI, to give a more realistic effect.

3. Although still young Tom has stated his desire to have children. He says he can't wait to be a dad and believes it is because his own father has been such a great role model for him. In fact, he has stated that if he wasn't an actor, he would have been a teacher or another job that works with children. This may be why he enjoys visiting young fans in hospitals, which he often does in full Spiderman costume.

4. Tom is a regular Sleepwalker and told GQ magazine that four out of 10 sleeps he wakes up completely naked!

5. Tom is also an avid golfer, speaking to People Magazine Tom explained, "It's a nice way to disconnect from what's going on around you. I turn my phone off and I just enjoy being outdoors with my friends, my brothers and my dad."

6. Tom's parents started a charity called The Brothers Trust using the actor's reach and popularity to raise funds. Along with his three younger brothers, the family works to support charities who struggle to be heard.

7. Tom is a keen advocate for mental health. He even took to Instagram recently to explain that he was taking a break from the platform as he finds it to be "over stimulating and overwhelming and ultimately detrimental to his health". This honesty is refreshing as well as spreading an important message to his impressionable young fans.

Tom Holland is not only a talented young actor but also a very likeable person. He's had great success at a very young age and his future remains bright.