Guinness World Records 2018

SUPERHEROES UNITE

Interview: TOM HOLLAND

TOM HOLLAND

British actor Tom Holland was

aged just 20^ years 123

days when

filming wrapped on

Spider-Man:

Homecoming (USA, 2017), making

him the youngest actor to play a

title role in the Marvel Cinematic

Universe (MCU)

. Here, he^ talks

exclusively to Guinness World Records about

the daunting task of playing one of the world’s

most popular superheroes, and which real-life

superhero he’s most inspired by...

How does it feel to be playing such an

iconic superhero?

It’s a huge, huge honour. The fact that I’m getting

to portray Spider-Man is unreal to me! It still

hasn’t quite sunk in yet. This is a character that

I’ve loved so much as a kid so it’s like my dreams

are coming true.

Why are superheroes still so popular?

These movies appeal to such large audiences –

they’re funny, they’re dramatic, they’re exciting,

they’re action-packed. And Spider-Man is so

loved because he’s such a relatable character.

There’s not a kid who’s gone to high school and

not experienced the awkwardness of talking to a

girl for the first time, or struggled with homework

or been late for class. It’s refreshing for the

younger generation to see a superhero going

through similar things to what they’re going

through. Also, the older generation can reminisce

about their time at high school.

And they’re inspirational too...

If you look at Peter Parker, he’s a kid that’s been

given these incredible powers, and instead of

committing crimes he does good with it and uses

his powers to make his city a better place. This is

an amazing message for kids to hear. If I’m honest,

I don’t know if I’d necessarily do the best things

if I was given superpowers... I might rob a bank or

two! But seriously, Peter Parker represents the

best in us and is a good role model for young kids.

If you could have just one superpower,

what^ would it be?

I’d ask for the power of teleportation! In my job,

I’m on an aeroplane so often that

being^ able to teleport

would^ be such a

handy^ little tool.

You’ve had a busy career and you’re

only^ 20 years old. What’s the secret

of^ your success?

I think the best thing to do is keep your

head^ down and just keep grinding. As

much as it’s difficult, the harder you work,

the more you get out of any situation,

whether you’re in school, at work or

on a movie set. I’m a huge advocate of

working hard and being the hardest

worker in the room.

Which real-life superheroes

do you look up to?

We all need heroes in our lives,

and at the moment my biggest

inspiration is The Rock [Dwayne

Johnson, below]. I^ was lucky

enough to meet him the other day

and he’s a very nice, kind, loving

man. I’ve heard from other people that he just

doesn’t take any time off – he’s working every

single day. If I’m ever tired, I

remind myself that

Dwayne is probably in the gym, pushing it. And

I think, “I^ have to work harder if I want to get to

where I^ want to be.” If I’m ever challenged, I say

to^ myself, “What would The Rock do?!”

The Rock is also a GWR title holder!

No way?! This means I’m one step closer to being

The Rock. I^ could be the next Rock. Or Little Rock!

How does it feel to be a GWR record holder?

I’m a big fan of the book. I’m not going to lie –

there it was in my stocking every Christmas.

I love the GWR books and it’s crazy to now be in

there! I’m so happy – it’s such an amazing thing

to have a record, and I’m looking forward to

getting the certificate up on my wall. Probably

next to my BAFTA!

BAFTA’S RISING STAR

Tom won the EE Rising Star award at the 2017

British Academy of Film and Television Arts

(BAFTA) ceremony. His big break in acting

came in 2008, when he took the lead role

in the stage musical version of

Billy Elliot in

London. He appeared on the big screen in

The Impossible^

(ESP/USA, 2012), and made his first (brief) appearance

as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War

(USA, 2016).