Tom Holland has been reflecting on how his decision to stop drinking in January 2022 has transformed his life and career. The Spider-Man: Brand New Day star shared with USA Today that alcohol was hindering his professional life.
"Drinking was something that was ultimately really getting in the way of my professional life," Holland explained. "Being an actor and living your life on the big stage can be really stressful. And I think that alcohol, for me personally, really compounded that issue."
He added, "Since getting rid of the booze and feeling more like myself and waking up clear-headed every day and fresh to start the day, I just feel so much more confident in myself as who I am as a person."
The 29-year-old actor, who may have privately married longtime partner Zendaya, also considered whether his career and personal life would have progressed similarly without sobriety.
"That's a really big question," he said. "I've been so lucky in the last four years that my career has really blossomed in a really lovely way, and I really love what's happening and what I have to come in the future. And I don't know how much of that would've come to fruition had I still been drinking."
Holland's lifestyle change has also influenced his friends to reduce their alcohol consumption. "All of my friends have really slowed down drinking," he revealed. "I had all of my mates over the other night. That used to be, like, a really, really boozy affair. We'd be up till 1 in the morning drinking. We'd be all hungover the next day. And I had like 10 guys over at my house, and I don't think anyone had a drop of alcohol."
He added, "Everyone was really present. There was no waking up the next day feeling groggy. And I just love what it's done for my life in general."
The trend of cutting back on alcohol is also reflected in broader statistics: a 2023 Gallup poll shows the percentage of adults under 35 who drink has dropped over 10 points in the last two decades. Holland praised this shift, saying, "Alcohol can be an amazing thing, but it can also be an incredibly dangerous thing. And I just love seeing that young people are turning away from booze and looking for alternatives. And it creates, I think, a safer environment, a more communal environment."