Why are fans hating on Tom Holland now?
The story of Queens native Peter Parker’s Spider-Man and the moral lesson of “with great power comes great responsibility” is a saying acknowledged all around the world. Throughout various cinematic adaptations, numerous actors have taken on the iconic role of New York City’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, drawing inspiration from the Marvel Comics crafted by superhero legendsStan Lee and Steve Ditko.
It all began with Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy from 2002 to 2007, and Andrew Garfield’s iteration of the hero in The Amazing Spider-Man of 2012 and its sequel, the most recent version of Peter Parker has been brought to life by Tom Holland. Holland made his debut in The Walt Disney Company’s Marvel Studios Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Captain America: Civil War in 2016 and went on to star in Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017.
Following the occurrences portrayed in the MCU’s Spider-Man: Far From Home and the consequential alterations brought about by Doctor Strange’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) Multiverse-altering spell in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker (and by extension, Spider-Man) has purposefully withdrawn from public attention.
Following this MCU hiatus, it appears as if Spider-Man star Tom Holland is now getting in trouble with his own fans.
Why is Tom Holland Facing Hate?
Recently, it was announced that Holland would join the cast of UK director Jamie Lloyd’s upcoming West End production of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet at the Duke of York Theatre. Alongside his Romeo, actress Francesca Amewudah-Rivers’ Juliet would star opposite as Juliet.
This is a clear departure from the typical action-adjacent movie fare that Holland typically engages in, such as 2022’s Uncharted and his multiple MCU appearances. With this more intimate and theater-inclined side that Holland appears to be showing, fans have naturally scrutinized the production — including his co-star.
Of late, Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, a Black actress, has received a fair amount of hate — often racially motivated — and targeting of her looks, from so-called “fans” who deem the actress unsuitable to star opposite her Shakespearean dramatic partner.
The tide appears to be turning back on to the Spider-Man star now, however, as Tom Holland is now getting flak for “staying silent” on the racism and hate being thrown towards his co-star. X (formerly Twitter) user @Tired_Niger1an AKA Mara called out these “fans” now turning on Holland, with a targeting post calling out this shift towards a “hate train”:
@Tired_Niger1an: The way the wave has shifted from the racism towards Fran to a hate train towards Tom holland is very worrying🤧🤧Everyone knows Tom is chronically offline soo is it a performative statement that y’all want or the real life support he’s probably giving her bts (behind the scenes).
(quoted) @percabethsrina: GET HIM AGAIN FOR ME(text in image) @arsemathomas on Instagram:@tomholland2013
You lot need to put pressure pon @tomholland2013 ‘s head top – I need my guy to say something, ANYTHING, about the disgusting racial abuse being thrown at our angel FranSo bloody true @selinasjones
@tomholland2013
Comment, tweet, share, pressure him – if you could send that text to your sneaky link that you really shouldn’t be talking to, you can do this.
Our power as a people and a community should never be underestimated. Avengers assemble.
The way the wave has shifted from the racism towards Fran to a hate train towards Tom holland is very worrying🤧🤧
Everyone knows Tom is chronically offline soo is it a performative statement that y’all want or the real life support he’s probably giving her bts. https://t.co/5hMdHBcxvE— Mara (@Tired_Niger1an) April 9, 2024
There are also some likely (inevitable) comparisons between Ayuwadeh-Rivers and Holland’s real-life girlfriend and fellow Spider-Man star Zendaya, who plays love interest MJ in the MCU — whether subconscious or not.
It definitely feels like Holland, famously and frequently “offline” following his quitting of social media in 2022, is now under intense scrutiny by those who expect a more “performative” statement defending his fellow actor.
Fans have taken to calling out his “chronically offline” nature as being selective,
@TJimofo: He wasn’t chronically offline when he posted his casting or the casting of his co-stars on his story. But now he’s chronically offline when everyone else from that cast reposted the statement of support from the company and he hasn’t???
Mara/@Tired_Niger1an: Everyone from the cast?? Really? The major response I’ve seen was from the production company and it also specified that the rehearsal room is full of “joy, compassion and kindness” which simply means that, irl Francesca is surrounded by lots of support.
Everyone from the cast?? Really? The major response I’ve seen was from the production company and it also specified that the rehearsal room is full of “joy, compassion and kindness” which simply means that, irl Francesca is surrounded by lots of support.
— Mara (@Tired_Niger1an) April 9, 2024
With The Walt Disney Company’s joint Spider-Man 4 venture with Sony Pictures looming, it seems like certain fans of Holland may or may not stick around to support the endeavor, depending on whether or not Holland chooses to speak out on the matter.
What do you think of the hate directed towards Juliet actress Francesca Amewudah-Rivers and now, Romeo actor Tom Holland? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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