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With great power comes the responsibility to interview movie stars: We sit down with Tom Holland

Dale Roll May 3, 2018
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The newest actor to play Spider-Man gives us insight into what it’s like to be a popular superhero.

With the worldwide release of Avengers: Infinity War on April 27, we Marvel fans are finally able to witness the first installment of what is said to be the culmination of ten years of Marvel films. In celebration, SoraNews24’s Japanese language correspondent and biggest Marvel fan, P.K. Sanjun, sat down with Tom Holland, the actor who plays Spider-Man in the most recent installments of the Marvel universe.

This isn’t the first time Holland and P.K. have met; P.K. also talked with Holland at the release of his movie Spider-Man: Homecoming. But with a whole new film behind him and a new association with a cast of A-list actors, how has Holland’s experience changed?

Holland: Oh! Haven’t we met before? I think you interviewed me when I came to Japan the last time.

P.K.: What! You remembered me? I’m so honored! I vow to be your fan for the rest of my life.

Holland: Hahaha, of course I remember you!

P.K.: Ooh, I’m so happy! Shall we begin the interview?

Holland: OK, let’s start.

P.K.: The last time I interviewed you, it was before Spider-Man: Homecoming. That movie turned out to be a big hit. Has your life changed much since then? For example, how do your friends and family feel about you being Spider-Man?

Holland: Hmm…actually it hasn’t really changed much at all! (laughs) My little brother likes to say, “My big brother is Spider-Man!”, but my friends haven’t really changed how they interact with me.

P.K.: Oh?

Holland: Oh, but when I’m walking down the street there are more people who recognize me now. It’s really nice to be able to interact with the fans like that.

P.K.: I see. In the last film, Spider-Man only met Iron Man, but in the new movie there are a lot of superheroes. Is there a relationship with a certain superhero that you’d like fans to pay attention to in Infinity War?

Holland: My personal favorite is the relationship between Spider-Man and the Guardians of the Galaxy Star-Lord, Peter Quill. It was amazing to get to work with Chris Pratt. It was so much fun!

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A post shared by Tom Holland (@tomholland2013)

P.K.: Is he as fun as he seems on-screen?

Holland: He is fantastic. He’s not only so full of humor, but he also brings so much liveliness to the set. I always really looked forward to working with him.

P.K.: The relationship between Star-Lord and Spider-Man is new, isn’t it? What other superheroes do you want to work with next? Last time you said you wanted to meet Ant-Man and Thor.

Holland: Now I want to have scenes with Black Panther. Wouldn’t it be cool to see Spider-Man in Wakanda? They might make me a better suit than Tony! (laughs)

P.K.: That would be cool. By the way, what do you think Peter has been doing in the time between the last movie and this one?

Holland: Hmm…maybe he was doing homework, stopping small crimes, saving the people of New York? I think he was enjoying teenage life while also trying to be the best hero he can be. In that sense, he probably didn’t change all that dramatically between the two films, but I think you’ll see in the next film that he’s grown a lot.

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P.K.: I’m sure. You mentioned his being a teenager. On a related note, April is when people in Japan advance to the next grade or start work at new companies. Because of that, people attending new schools or who have just started work in new companies sometimes have what we call the “May blues”. Do you have any advice for people who might be experiencing that?

Holland: Well, I think having to work through hardship and pain is a step towards becoming an adult. That’s why I think it’s important to always do the best you can. And if it turns out to be something worth putting your all into, it’s the best feeling!

P.K.: That’s a really nice thought. By the way, this is your second time in Japan, right? Is there anything in particular that you want to do while you’re in Japan?

Holland: Actually, yesterday I got on the bullet train and went to Kyoto! I got to see lots of temples and shrines…there was even a thousand-armed god statue! It’s hard to describe Kyoto…it’s really breathtakingly beautiful there.

P.K.: Kyoto, huh? Yes, that is definitely one place where you can get a good sense of Japan.

Holland: Also, the teppanyaki I ate was delicious. I even got to do a tea ceremony and drink some real green tea! If I ever have the time, I’d love to check out some other cities in Japan.

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A post shared by Tom Holland (@tomholland2013)

P.K.: Is that so? Alright then, how about a last message for your fans?

Holland: Thanos is so incredibly strong that he can’t even be compared to any of the other villains we’ve seen up until now. There are a lot of scenes in the move written from his point of view, so it’s really interesting. I think this is going to be the biggest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I’d really love to know what Japanese fans think of the movie!

He’s right; Avengers: Infinity War is said to be the biggest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although there’s no Captain Japan in it, and it doesn’t have popular anime characters like this cool re-imagined trailer, it’s still a highly entertaining film and a great movie, so if you haven’t seen it yet, do Tom Holland a solid and go check it out!