Tom Holland underwent an impressive physical transformation for his lead role in the upcoming drama Cherry. Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, who are collaborating with Holland once again following Avengers: Endgame, the film tells the story of an army medic who finds himself battling an opioid addiction after returning home. In order to maintain his drug habit, Holland’s character resorts to robbing banks. Cherry is based on a novel by Nico Walker, with Angela Russo-Otstot and Jessica Goldberg writing the script.
Since officially acquiring the rights to the adaptation, Apple TV+ has been steadily promoting Cherry. The movie will have a theatrical run on February 26, before being available to stream on March 12. Cherry has also been pushing for nominations in the Best Actor category for Holland with promotional posters and highly-visible billboards. Now, the directors of the film have shed light on a factor that could benefit Holland’s chances when awards season rolls around.
Speaking with Deadline ahead of Cherry‘s release, the extent of Holland’s physical transformation was singled out by Joe Russo. The co-director noted that Holland lost and gained 30 pounds for the movie. While that would have been impressive enough on its own, Russo pointed out that the actor didn’t have a ton of time to work on the change. Russo’s quote has been included below.
“Holland really shredded himself for the part. He lost 30 pounds, he gained it back. We’re on an independent movie schedule here—he didn’t really have a lot of time to be doing these things.”
The makeover, and the quick turnaround, adds to the chances that Holland could receive his first Academy Award nomination for Cherry. The Oscars have been known to reward shifts in appearance, with Charlize Theron serving as an interesting point of comparison. She won Best Actress for her turn as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the 2003 film Monster. More recently, in 2020, she was nominated for her role as Megyn Kelly in Bombshell. Although the movie received lukewarm reviews, with Theron’s eerie resemblance to Kelly failing to lead to much substance, it was undeniable that she looked the part. Holland may prove to have better luck. Cherry‘s early reactions are positive, with particular praise singled out for what Holland accomplishes as the lead. Although it may seem like the actor is branching out from his role as the MCU’s Peter Parker, it’s the case that he’s actually returning to his roots by leaning into a dramatic and taxing protagonist.
For his first live-action role, in The Impossible, Holland filmed exceptionally difficult scenes at just the age of 14. His ability to generate empathy was apparent even then, with rumors swirling that he’d been shortlisted for an Oscar thanks to his portrayal in the 2012 disaster film. He would continue in that vein for a few more years before Spider-Man came knocking, appearing to strongly favor characters that had the misfortune of being placed in unimaginable situations. Cherry is a continuation of that preference, with even the most pessimistic prognosticators believing it’s only a matter of time before Holland starts winning major awards.
Key Release Dates
Cherry
Release Date:2021-02-26
