Tom Holland shared that his Spider-Man: No Way Home co-star Zendaya coached him on how to be more pleasant to fans after sensing his approach wasn't working for him.
"Talking to Zendaya's helped me a lot, actually," Holland told GQ. "I used to come across sometimes as a bit of a dick to fans." The Spidey actor added, "Mainly as I was always so surprised that they'd want a picture with me or signature or whatever."
Holland described how in the past he felt skeptical of fans, calling it "the typical Londoner reaction." He clarified, "Zendaya spotted this and quickly told me that this sort of reaction was going to be more aggro than just smiling and taking the picture." He added, "She totally changed the way I am able to be more comfortable in public."
The actor also opened up about dealing with rumors that he dated Zendaya, which came to a culmination when he accidentally tagged his groin with his co-star's name in an Instagram post. The Marvel Cinematic Universe star was quick to note that "was obviously a mistake."
"But in all seriousness, it is also incredibly frustrating. It's very nerve-racking," he continued. "It means that if you are dating someone, you have to be really conscious of their feelings, because if something does happen between the two of you, it's not just happening between the two of you, it's happening in front of the entire world. And it can be very complicated. It’s one of the things I worry about most, of all the things in my career."
The upcoming Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios film, Spider-Man: No Way Home, has maintained a stance of secrecy when it comes to its central plot. However, Sony and its cast haven't stopped offering fans Spidey-related entertainment in the interim. In late February, the Spider-Man 3 cast shared fake movie titles for fans, baiting them for plot clues, before revealing the film's theatrical title. Sony also created Flash Thompson's in-world social media page, teasing fans that the world will be divided into those that support Peter Parker and those that want Spider-Man canceled after doctored footage surfaced of him killing Mysterio.
Directed by Jon Watts, Spider-Man: No Way Home stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Tony Revolori, Jamie Foxx, Alfred Molina and Benedict Cumberbatch. The film arrives in theaters Dec. 17.
Source: GQ