Holland takes on the role of Danny Sullivan in Apple TV’s “The Crowded Room,” which chronicles the events following Danny’s arrest for a shooting in New York City in 1979.
During an interrogation by a character played by Amanda Seyfried, known for her role in “Mamma Mia,” Danny reveals aspects of his dissociative identity disorder (DID).
One of Danny’s personalities is a woman named Ariana, who engages in a sexual encounter with a man in one of the episodes.
Holland’s performance in this male sex scene has gone viral, with viewers praising his portrayal of the complex character and his engagement in an LGBTQ+ role.
However, despite the widespread acclaim, the 28-year-old actor did encounter some negative remarks from a few critics. One person commented, “Tom Gone Wrong #NotMySpiderMan,” while others defended Holland, applauding his ‘versatility’ and ‘brilliant acting’.
Another defender remarked: “It has no relation to him being Spider-Man. Spider-Man is Spider-Man, Tom Holland playing gay man won’t make Spider-Man gay. Benedict Cumberbatch played two gay characters and I have never seen someone say ‘not my Dr. Strange.”
A third supporter stated: “Tom Holland out here killing it as an actor tbh, love to see it.”
Another individual added: “That one scene of Tom Holland from The Crowded Room that’s going around is not what people think it is, if people actually watched the show they would know there’s a lot more to it psychologically.
“Ngl though it did catch me off guard.”
Additionally, others pointed out that Holland’s fellow Spider-Man actors, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire, have also portrayed gay characters in the past.
A fan noted: “The people posting ‘not my spiderman’ about Tom Holland because of his gay scene like… honey I have some news for you.”
Another person commented: “I find it so funny that people are mad at Tom Holland for being LGBT in the crowded room and seeing the others who Spider-Man are better for that reason, when Andrew Garfield is an extreme ally and played gay characters, and Tobey Maguire is similar [sic].”
Holland also served as an executive producer on “The Crowded Room,” a role he found challenging yet rewarding.
He shared with ExtraTV: “I’m no stranger to hard work, I’ve always lived by this idea that hard work is good work. I really enjoyed it but then again, the show did break me.
“There did come a time when I was sort of, ‘I need to have a break’. I disappeared. I went to Mexico for a week and had some time on a beach and lay low. And I’m now taking a year off, and that is a result of how difficult this show was.”
“The Crowded Room” is currently available for streaming on Apple TV.