Tom Holland Said His Latest Role Made Him Re-evaluate His Mental Health

Fans may be more accustomed to web- and cocktail-slinging when they settle in for a Tom Holland blockbuster, but his latest role is a stark contrast to the fun-loving, action-packed roles that are all over the star's IMDb page. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Holland said that his latest series, The Crowded Room, out on Apple TV+ on June 9, isn't just more serious, but the process of making it changed his views on mental health and social media altogether.

Holland described the show as "an insight into the power of the human mind" and "the ways in which we can deal with trauma." 

"It's a show that will take you on twists and turns — you'll never know where you are or what's going on — and then it will all come to a miraculous conclusion toward the end," he said. "It's a story about heartbreak. It's a story about love. It's a story about betrayal. And, most of all, it's a story about a young kid's determination to survive."

In order to get deeper into the role, Holland changed his lifestyle in more ways than one. He shared that he's been sober for a year and four months and tried to limit his access to social media during production.

"Learning about mental health and the power of it, and speaking to psychiatrists about Danny and Billy's struggles, has been something that has been so informative to my own life," he said before explaining that he was "recognizing triggers" and "things that stress me out," like social media. 

He finished, adding that he wanted viewers to "have more respect and more sympathy for people who are going through mental health issues. I hope that people will feel educated about the powers of mental health, the struggles, [and] our incredible abilities to survive."

The Crowded Room also stars Amanda Seyfried and Emmy Rossum, who plays Holland's mother, Candy.