5 Projects That Made a Star of Tom Holland, the Guy We’re Swooning Over This Week

Sexy Tom Holland is today a Hollywood star, but what projects helped him get there? At the age of 24, Holland finds himself a bonafide celebrity, known around the world. But did you know this son of a photographer and a comedian/author began as a 10-year-old dancer?

So how did Tom Holland jump all the way to international sensation? Well, being adorable, charming and quite handsome certainly helped. But Holland has also been very fortunate with some key projects.

Here are 5 projects (some ongoing) that helped charming, sexy Tom Holland climb to international fame:

1. The MCU’s Spider-Man (2016-Present)

Back in 2016, you would have thought the world had seen enough Spider-Man movies. After one successful franchise and a second (less successful) attempt, there were already five films about the web-slinging hero. But Disney’s juggernaut Marvel Cinematic Universe had yet to try its own take on the character, which opened the door for sexy Tom Holland to walk through.

Holland first appeared as Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, in Captain America: Civil War. He has since then jumped into his own three-film franchise (the third film currently in production) while appearing in Avengers films. That includes the biggest box office hit of all time, Avengers: Endgame. Spider-Man is without a doubt the role that made Tom Holland a household name.

2. Billy Elliot the Musical (2008-2010)

But where did Tom Holland get his first big break? Funny enough, it wasn’t in film at all but on the stage.

Tom Holland started his journey in the entertainment industry as a dancer. At the young age of 10, he took hip-hop classes at Nifty Feet Dance School in London. There, Holland caught the eye of choreographer Lynne Page, an associate of the choreographer of the Billy Elliot film and musical. Holland got tapped to audition for the stage production and in June 2008 made his West End debut in Billy Elliot the Musical as Michael, Billy’s best friend. He was promoted to playing the musical’s titular character in September of the same year.

Billy Elliot The Musical, based on the 2000 film, follows a motherless British boy who starts taking ballet lessons. The story follows Billy’s coming-of-age and interest in the arts while in the midst of the 1984-85 miner’s strike of North East England. The musical first premiered at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London’s West End and received several awards, including nine Laurence Olivier Awards and 10 Tony Awards. The production traveled the world, and, again, it started sexy Tom Holland on his journey to fame.

3. Onward (2020)

As with many Marvel Cinematic Universe actors, Tom Holland has admittedly had a rough time growing a career outside of the MCU. That said, he’s trying, and it seems like the general populace wants to see him succeed. Thankfully, Holland has made friends with two juggernaut Hollywood studios: Disney and Sony.

One noteworthy project was 2020’s Onward. Tom Holland has done voice work before (he voiced Sho in the British dub of Studio Ghibli’s Arrietty and voiced Walter Beckett in Spies in Disguise). Onward saw sexy Tom Holland star alongside Chris Pratt, with Holland playing Ian Lightfoot, a teenage elf in a fantasy world who believes magic has died. Ian lives with his older brother Barley (Pratt) and their widowed mother. When one day they discover a magical gift from their late-father, they go on a journey in hopes of resurrecting magic and possibly their father as well.

The film was on track to be a success and initially earned $141 million worldwide. Then, due to COVID-19 closing theaters, the animated movie’s earnings were cut early. But the film earned renewed buzz and interest after being released on the Disney+ streaming service.

4. Cherry (2021)

So at this point, sexy Tom Holland is an official Hollywood star. He’s known globally and is a part of some of the biggest films of all time. But is he an award-worthy actor? That’s the question that sprung up during the production and marketing of 2021’s Cherry.

Cherry is based off a semi-autobiographical novel by Nico Walker. The story follows an army medic suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Holland’s character becomes a serial bank robber after a drug addiction has him in debt.

In its promotion, Cherry was looking to be Tom Holland’s attempt at getting Oscar buzz. The film was being pushed with awards campaigns and had a boost from being directed by box office success story Anthony and Joe Russo. Unfortunately, reviews for the film found the script was messy and formulaic. That said, critics celebrated sexy Tom Holland for his acting chops.

5. Uncharted (2022)

So what’s on the horizon for Tom Holland? Well, another film franchise.

It looks like sexy Tom Holland will be following in the footsteps of Harrison Ford by playing the lead in multiple film franchises. 2022 will see the release of Uncharted, an adaption of the popular video game (owned by Sony), in which Holland plays a gritty but debonair treasure hunter named Nathan Drake. Think the male version of Lara Croft.

This could be a big turn in Tom Holland’s career. Can the actor move past the goofy and charming boy-next-door of Spider-Man? We’ll see in 2022. Until then, we’re happy to see his star rise further and look back at the project that got him where he is today.

Which of sexy Tom Holland’s past projects is your favorite? How excited are you to see him play the male Lara Croft in Uncharted?

Featured image of Tom Holland: Kevin Winter / Getty Images