Tom Holland Opens Up About His Fears of Hollywood Fame
Tom Holland is set for a massive summer in 2026, but the famous actor says he still prefers a quiet life over the glitz of the movie business.
Even though he is turning 29 this year and has two huge films coming out in July, he admits the industry can be quite intimidating.
According to reports from entertainment outlets and details from the On Purpose podcast, Holland will first appear in Christopher Nolan’s new epic, The Odyssey, alongside Matt Damon and Zendaya on July 17. Just two weeks later, on July 31, he returns as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which features Sadie Sink and his long-time partner—and rumored wife—Zendaya.
Despite his success, Holland has been open about why he stays away from the Hollywood scene as much as possible. Speaking to Jay Shetty, he explained that while he loves making movies, the actual business side of things makes him nervous. He told the podcast, The business really scares me. I understand that I’m a part of that business and I enjoy my kind of interactions with it. But that said, I am always looking for ways to kind of remove myself from it to kind of just live as normal a life as possible.
🚨 Tom Holland on Why He Keeps His Distance From Hollywood
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) March 29, 2026
“Had I not walked away from certain situations, let's just put it at that, I would be a very different person today … I really do not like Hollywood. It is not for me. The business really scares me.” pic.twitter.com/szlVJvDRu2
He shared that he has seen other people change for the worse because of fame. He mentioned that he has even lost friends because they got too caught up in the industry. He said, I’ve seen so many people come before me and lose themselves and I’ve had friends that I’ve grown up with that aren’t friends of mine anymore because they’ve lost themselves to this business.
Because of this, Holland and Zendaya work hard to keep their relationship private. You won’t often see them at big parties or award shows unless they are there for work. Holland explained his simple rule for staying grounded, saying, Like, you’ll never see me at an award show that I don’t have to be at. I’m never going to a red-carpet event that I’m not in the film of, you know, I don’t want the attention when I don’t need it.
It is actually really refreshing to see a young star who doesn’t let fame go to his head. In a world where everyone is trying to be seen all the time, choosing to just go grocery shopping like a normal person seems like a smart way to stay happy. It probably helps his acting, too, because he stays connected to the real world.
What do you think about Tom Holland’s choice to stay out of the spotlight?
Have something to say? Let us know in the comments!