Tom Holland's mental health struggles: Spider-Man star's gets candid about his battle amidst stardom

Behind the valiant web of 'Spider-Man' and the muscular grit of 'Black Adam' are two vulnerable men—Tom Holland and Dwayne Johnson—who are unmasking their own battles with mental health.

Tom Holland, the beloved web-slinging star, took an open stand for mental health last year when he decided to hit pause on social media, an arena often replete with negative comments. Recently, he reflected on the mental toll of filming his new Apple TV+ series, 'The Crowded Room'.

In a heartfelt confession to EW, Holland stated, "I'm no stranger to the physical aspects of the job doing the whole action-movie thing. But the mental aspect really beat me up, and it took a long time for me to recover afterward, to sort of get back to reality." He admitted his struggle to detach from the character, leading him to contemplate drastic changes like shaving his head mid-shooting. He credits his co-star Sasha Lane and professional help for teaching him to identify his stress triggers and cope better.

On the other side, Dwayne Johnson, the indomitable 'Black Adam,' recounts his battle with depression during The Pivot. Johnson cited an instance from his past when a career-ending shoulder injury triggered his first depressive phase, leading him to abandon school mid-term. He went through a second bout of depression following his divorce, again without recognizing it for what it was.

In an empowering Instagram post, Johnson emphasized the need for open conversations about mental health. "If you’re going thru your own version of mental wellness turning into mental hell-ness, the most important thing you can do is talk to somebody," he wrote, reminding everyone that "having the courage to talk to someone is your superpower."

FAQs

What challenges did Tom Holland face during the filming of 'The Crowded Room'?

Tom Holland has revealed that while shooting for 'The Crowded Room,' he found it difficult to detach himself from the character he was portraying. This struggle affected his mental health, causing him to contemplate drastic changes like shaving his head mid-shooting to get rid of the character.

What experiences led Dwayne Johnson to talk about mental health?

Dwayne Johnson, during his appearance on 'The Pivot,' opened up about his experiences with depression, which first emerged after a career-ending shoulder injury. He faced another bout following his divorce. These experiences led him to stress the importance of talking about mental health struggles.