Tom Holland confessed that he initially believed director Christopher Nolan disapproved of his acting during the early stages of filming their upcoming epic, "The Odyssey."
During a joint interview with Nolan, as well as co-stars Anne Hathaway and Matt Damon, Holland described his first day on set as "one of the most daunting experiences of my career." He recalled thinking he was "totally s***ing the bed" during a particularly emotional and significant scene.
Holland's anxiety stemmed from Nolan's frequent use of the "cut" command. He initially interpreted these as signs of dissatisfaction with his performance. "I was with Jon [Bernthal] like, 'Why does he keep cutting? Why does he keep doing that?'" Holland recounted, "And I was like, in my head, I'm like, 'Does he not like what we're doing? Like, what is happening?'"
However, he soon learned that the frequent cuts were not a reflection of his acting but a consequence of working with IMAX cameras for the first time. "You know, working with the IMAX cameras for the first time is an experience," Holland explained to Nolan. "It is unlike anything I have ever seen before, and I didn't know that it only ran for three minutes."
It was stunt coordinator George Cottle who clarified that the camera magazine's three-minute recording limit necessitated the frequent stops. "No, no, no, there's only three minutes in the mag," Cottle reportedly told Holland. This revelation brought Holland immense relief. "Oh, thank god," he recalled.
Despite the initial challenges, Holland found reassurance from Nolan himself. "We finished the day, [and] you gave me a hug and a pat on the back, and when I left that day, it wasn't until I left the set that I was like, 'Oh, I can totally do this. I can swim in these waters,'" Holland said.
In "The Odyssey," Holland portrays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope. The film also features Matt Damon as Odysseus and Anne Hathaway as Penelope. The ensemble cast includes Lupita Nyong'o, Jon Bernthal, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Holland's wife, Zendaya, who plays the goddess Athena.
The first trailer for "The Odyssey" was released in May, drawing criticism from some fans who noted the American accents used by the cast.
"The Odyssey" is set to premiere on July 17. The trailer's release followed the recent confirmation of Holland and Zendaya's marriage and their collaboration on another film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," scheduled for release on July 30.