- [Josh] A lot of firsts for you in this film.
I'm not sure if this is a first or not, but congratulations
on, maybe, the debut of Tom Holland's mustache in a film.
Big stuff. Important stuff.
- It's not my mustache. It's not my mustache.
- That was my question.
Is it not? Is it a fake?
- I'm so honored that you think
that I could grow a mustache like that.
I reckon, if I don't shave now
until we speak
on 'Spider-Man 27,'
it would still not be there.
- Got it.
- I'm not sure it's my look.
I'm not sure it's my kind of vibe.
- No shade, it's all good. [Laughs]
- The mustache was a late idea.
We had a Halloween party
and my team and I all went as the Average Joes.
And Rachel, my makeup artist,
just drew on a little mustache
on herself with mascara.
And Joe [Russo] was like,
[finger snap]
"Tom has to have a mustache
"when he leaves the prison.
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And Rachel was like,
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[Laughs]
It looks great, I really like it.
- Congratulations, Tom, on 'Cherry.'
- Thank you.
- This is a challenging role, to say the least,
and you really hit it out of the park, man.
You should feel very proud.
- Thank you, I appreciate that.
- I mean, it struck me, watching this.
You're a young man, with all due respect.
I can say that 'cause I'm an elderly man.
As a 24-year-old,
I don't talk to a lot of actors in your situation
that chase roles like this.
You can go the easy way out.
You're a movie star,
you have 'Spider-Man' under your belt.
- Right.
- Was there a point after 'Spider-Man'
where you kind of decided,
"This is the kind of career I want to pursue,"
and how does 'Cherry,' kind of,
fit into that plan, if it does?
- I think I always knew that I wanted to
end up making films like this.
I'm in a very lucky situation at the moment
where I can kind of juggle doing both.
You know, I've got 'Spider-Man,'
I've just finished a film called
'Uncharted' with Mark Wahlberg,
which is very much a sort of swashbuckling action film.
And then, obviously, I've got films like
'Cherry' and 'Devil All the Time.'
So, for me, I love trying to do both.
I love looking for films that will challenge me,
for characters that are big departures
from myself as a person,
also big departures from characters I've played in the past.
So, I don't know if it was necessarily
a decision to be like,
"Right, now is the time to start looking
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It just sort of happened to pan out that way.
- It's amazing to think, I mean,
obviously, when you met the Russos
for the 'Spider-Man' audition,
that was a big deal in and of itself.
But, the thing that's like -
- Yes.
- The rewards it has given you,
in many different ways,
of meeting Downey and having him as kind of a mentor,
and having the Russos see in you,
not only Spider-Man, but a role like this.
Do you remember meeting them
and instantly clicking with them?
Was there, like, a simpatico understanding
between you and the Russos,
or were you just sort of in your own head that day?
- I remember meeting them like it was yesterday.
It was in their office,
it was before my audition with Downey
and basically all of the kids
that were auditioning for Spidey
had a sort of 25, 30-minute intro with Joe and Anth.
And basically, we would go through the scene,
they would give us some notes prior to the audition,
so we could have a little bit of an insight
into what the audition was going to be like.
And I just remember thinking that they were so nice.
I remember just thinking that,
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And I felt so comfortable in there
when I felt so uncomfortable going in.
You know, as a young kid, you look at these big,
big blockbuster movies and you think,
"Wow, the people that make these films
"must be really serious.
"They must be really, really hard to work with
"because they make big, big-budget movies."
And that isn't the case at all with the Russos.
They're so sweet and welcoming and kind.
So, I immediately felt at ease and it's interesting,
I actually watched my audition tape the other day
and it seems like a lifetime ago that I was doing that,
but I owe everything to them.
And I think a large portion
of the reason why I worked so hard on this film,
is that I kind of felt in debt to them.
And they were really passionate about this film.
You know, they're both boys from Cleveland.
This is a story that has, you know, directly affected them.
They've got family and loved ones that are going
through a very similar experience.
So, because I have this sense of debt,
I felt like I really needed to do justice to them.
And I think that's probably one of the reasons
why I worked so hard.
- I'm curious, like, whether it's specifically a performance
that influences this role or, just generally speaking,
like, high-watermark performances to aspire to.
I mean, I think comparably,
and some thematic comparisons exist, too,
like Tom Cruise in 'Born on the 4th of July.'
At that stage of his career,
he didn't need to do that kind of thing.
But again, he was working with Oliver Stone
and he went for it in a big way
and went on a big journey.
Do you have those kinds of, like, roles, those performances
that stand on Mount Olympus for you
as, like, the thing to aspire to
when you take on a character like 'Cherry?'
- Yeah, a role I really admire,
and one that I would love to try
and find my own version of it,
is Edward Norton in 'Primal Fear.'
I love that kind of opportunity
to almost play two different characters
within the same film.
I'm very lucky at the moment that
I get to do that with 'Spider-Man.'
You know, Spider-Man and Peter Parker
are two very, very different people,
but I'd love to do that in a more serious environment.
Everyone keeps asking me,
"Were these calculated decisions?
"Are you planning for the future
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And if I'm honest, I'm just sort of rolling with it.
- Yeah, you're riding the wave.
- I'm on a wave and I'm loving it
and the sun is shining,
and I'll keep going until I fall off.
And when I fall off, which I'm sure I will at some point,
you won't want to interview me anymore.
I'll swim right way back and I'll jump back
on the next wave and I'll be fine.
- I mean, you alluded to all the challenges of this.
This is not one challenge,
this is, like, six challenges at least,
'cause there are distinct chapters in this film.
This guy goes through every permutation
of challenge in his life.
You must have known some of the challenges going in.
Were there any surprises along the way?
In terms of like,
"Oh, I didn't even think
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- I always knew it was going to be tough,
physically and mentally.
And, you know, I'm no stranger to physical challenges.
Playing Spider-Man is arguably
the most physical role you could get as a young actor.
So, I felt pretty prepared in that sense.
The thing that I wasn't ready for
was the emotional onslaught that was playing this character.
Day in and day out, crying and screaming
and punching the walls and being exhausted
and pushing myself to this horrible place, so.
Some of the places we had to go emotionally were so awful.
I think one of the biggest and most valuable assets
I had while making this film
was the wonderful Ciara Bravo.
She was so brave and game to try anything,
and we were really like a team.
We were partners in crime
and she was there to pick up my broken pieces
when I fell apart, and I was there for her.
And to have that safety blanket in your co-star
was so, so, so helpful.
And I think it would have been
a very, very different experience for me
had I not had such a wonderful partner.
- You mentioned in a recent conversation
two mentors for you.
Downey is a no-brainer, of course.
You also mentioned Zendaya,
which I understand, but I also worry,
you know, this is going to go to her head now.
She's going to just remind you every second on set,
going forward, "Hey, mentor over here!"
Has she started to mention that to you or not?
- No, I mean, she's got a good head on her shoulders
and she's very sensible and humble.
And I think she recognizes how much
she's helped me over the years.
I mean, becoming famous is a very, very strange thing
for someone to have to go through.
Especially at a young age,
it can be very corrupting.
It's very stressful.
All of a sudden the entire world
has an opinion on your life.
So, having someone like her in my corner,
who is the same age as me,
who'd been through it before
at a much, much higher level was really, really helpful
because the moments where I would panic and go,
"I don't know if I want to do this anymore.
"I don't think this is what I want in life."
She was always there to kind of help me through
those times of trouble, I guess.
- I just didn't know if you were trying to butter her up,
just for a guest spot on 'Euphoria' or something.
- I keep saying that to her, I was like,
"When are you going to let me be in 'Euphoria,' man?"
"Like, I wanna - Jacob and I want to be in there.
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- She's been very kind about 'Cherry.'
Have you seen 'Malcolm & Marie?'
- I thought it was brilliant.
I mean, I never had any doubt in my mind
that she couldn't do or be capable of a role like that,
or a performance like that.
She's absolutely fantastic in it.
John David Washington's brilliant.
The writing is amazing, but I just -
I was so proud of her. And you can tell
that it was a real passion project for her.
And she was really, really proud of it
when she showed it to us.
And it was just really nice to see that side of her
and, you know, the same way
I'm sure she is with me.
I was just incredibly proud.
- Normally, this is the part of the conversation
where I would dig for secrets
about your Marvel movie.
I'm not going to do that because in your case
you'd actually start acting out the entire movie.
- Right.
[Laughs] - And as much as I want to know,
I don't want to know the movie now.
- No, you don't. Trust me, you really don't.
- But, I do have one question.
You put on Instagram recently that you had a day
that you considered one of the highlights of your career.
Will we know it when we see it onscreen that day
or was that a very personal thing?
Or can you allude to what that was
without spoiling anything for me?
- You'll know it.
When you see the film, you'll know it.
- OK.
- I can't talk about it.
I want to, I really want to, Josh, believe me.
- No, don't. I don't want you to.
I do, but I don't. Don't worry.
- Yeah. I saw some of it cut together the other day
and it's pretty cool.
It's really pretty cool.
- You are in the danger zone for the next nine or 10 months.
You basically have to shut up,
or else you'll ruin –
- I know. I'm going to delete my Instagram.
I'm going to stop accepting phone calls.
I'm not doing any more interviews.
Leave me alone, everyone.
I can't. 'Cause I will ruin the film.
- Well, 'cause I spoke to Anthony Mackie recently
and he was like, "Oh yeah, Feige gave me the the next phase,
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And I'm wondering, in your case,
do they just not do that at this point?
Do they just give you what you need to know,
or do you know way too much than you should?
- I have a rough understanding
of what the future of the MCU is.
I don't really know?
I don't really know.
I don't really know. [Laughs]
- OK.
- The big thing that I've realized this year,
and I'm really trying to just, like, live
in the moment and live day to day, enjoy what I'm doing.
The sun is shining.
Tomorrow I get to go to set
with some of my best mates
and make a film I'm already incredibly proud of.
So, I'm not trying to think about
undefined
or "the future of my career,"
and all that sort of stuff.
I'm just taking it one day at a time
and trying to enjoy myself.
- Have you noticed if the experience of 'Cherry'
has colored your experiences on sets,
since 'Uncharted' and now in 'Spider-Man.'
I mean, these are much different kinds of movies.
But, this kind of role, this kind of performance
is a life-changing experience, I would think.
How does it change you as an actor?
- It's given me a lot more confidence
in myself as an actor.
You know, you spend your entire career
being incredibly vain.
It's kind of what the nature of being an actor.
You're always looking at yourself onscreen and you go,
"Oh, I wish I'd gone to the gym more.
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and all that sort of stuff.
And 'Cherry' was the complete opposite.
'Cherry,' for me, was about letting go of that vanity
and allowing myself to look hideous at times
and to be something that I'm not,
and really, really push myself.
And to lose that vanity was incredibly freeing.
So, I now have a very, very different relationship
with the way that I tackle making films
because it isn't about how I look,
it's just about how I behave.
And that means that I can do way, way more
than I used to be able to.
- Well, congratulations, my friend.
I was excited for all the opportunities
that were coming your way
in the wake of 'Spider-Man,'
but seeing you in 'Cherry' just -
You can do anything, man.
So, congratulations.
- Thanks, Josh.
- Enjoy the moment
and enjoy the rest of your shoot.
And don't tell me any more secrets. I'm good.
- Thank you, mate.
I remember our first interview!
I remember it.
- Did it change your life?
Is that what inspired 'Cherry?'
- Yeah, that's what made me want to make 'Cherry,'
was the first time I met you, Josh.
[Laughs] - God, I don't know what that says.