Tom Holland Tried a Popular Pre-Shoot Body Hack for His ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Bathhouse Scene, and He’s Not Impressed with the Results
Every physically demanding role comes with its own set of behind-the-scenes rituals actors swear by, whether it’s grueling workout regimens or last-minute tricks meant to squeeze out a more camera-ready look. For a franchise built around a superhero physique, those pre-shoot routines have become almost as much a part of the job as learning lines.
That pressure came into sharp focus for one particularly memorable scene in Tom Holland’s latest outing as Spider-Man, a sequence that required him to strip down further than usual in front of the camera. Ahead of shooting it, Holland decided to try a method some actors use to look leaner on screen, though the results left him unconvinced.
The scene in question sees Peter Parker entering a Russian bathhouse run by Florence Pugh’s character to gather intel on a mysterious new adversary. Told to strip down and get in the water to prove he isn’t concealing any weapons, Peter reluctantly complies, stopping short at his mask and underwear.
Reflecting on preparing for the moment, Holland admitted the process wasn’t worth the discomfort it caused. “I had tried to do that stupid dehydration thing for that scene, where I didn’t drink any water the day before and then I drank loads of water the day before that,” Holland told Entertainment Weekly. “I tried to see if it would make a difference, and the only thing it did is it just made me really grumpy.”
He didn’t hold back on his overall verdict either, ultimately concluding the whole effort had been pointless. “I don’t even think it really made that much of a difference,” he said in the same Entertainment Weekly interview.
Holland also touched on the slightly awkward dynamics of filming the scene itself, noting that Zendaya and Jacob Batalon happened to be off set that day, something he considered fortunate given the circumstances. “It would’ve been a little bit weird, it would have been strange,” he said, adding, “We were in our underwear.”
The bathhouse sequence fits into the film’s broader plot, which follows a depressed Peter Parker grappling with the emotional fallout of having his identity erased from the world. That psychological toll reportedly triggers a dangerous mutation in his DNA, setting the stage for the mysterious new adversary he faces throughout the film.
Holland’s candid admission adds a refreshingly human note to what’s often treated as glamorous behind-the-scenes prep in the superhero genre. Rather than championing the method, his takeaway seems to be a pretty clear warning against bothering with it at all.
For fans following the film’s record-breaking theatrical run, this kind of unfiltered honesty from Holland has become part of his appeal, offering a candid look at the less glamorous realities behind big blockbuster moments.
What Do You Think About Tom Holland's Honest Take On His Pre-Shoot Routine?
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