On social networks, actor Tom Holland becomes the target of homophobic attacks for a gay scene in the series “The Crowded Room”.
What mistake Tom Holland, actor particularly appreciated by young audiences, could have made to be copiously insulted on social networks? The answer, simple and appalling, is in the eighth episode of the series The Crowded Room where the British star interprets a gay sexual relationship.
If he hung up his Spider-Man costume – for a while at least – Tom Holland has not lost his taste for challenge. In his latest project, a mini-series available on Apple TV+, he plays Danny Sullivan, a character inspired by Billy Milligan, a criminal known for his 24 personalities.
Critics are divided on the series, but this role nevertheless allows the 27-year-old actor to extend his game. He thus delivers a much darker and more complex score than usual. Until now, The Crowded Room passed, alas, rather unnoticed until the release of the eighth episode.
In one sequence, Tom Holland gives form to his female alter-ego, played by Sasha Lane, and goes to a gay bar, before indulging in a passionate embrace with a man in the toilet. Another scene also shows him performing oral sex. It was enough to blow up the Web.
An uninhibited homophobia
The reactions, mostly violent and openly homophobic, accuse the star of smearing the “honour” of the iconic superhero created by Stan Lee. “Tom Holland must return the Spiderman and Zendaya costume as soon as possible”, can we read on one of the – many – tweets. Another user, denying any homophobia, said: “Si you’re Spider-Man, you have an image to hold, you can’t go tapin in other movies.”
Similar messages, the social network is full of them, thus disregarding the fundamental bases of the acting profession. Should we really limit the capacities of an actor so as not to offend part of his audience?
“Anyway, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield don’t give the time to this Tom Holland fraud“, writes a user, who is certainly unaware that the other two interpreters of Spider-Man have also played homosexual characters in the past (Tobey Maguire in Wonder Boys and Andrew Garfield, on Broadway, in the play Angels in America).
These attacks highlight an ongoing systemic homophobia. Even today, many Hollywood actors – mostly male – refuse roles of gay men for fear of backlash.
Fortunately, the indignant messages are counterbalanced by other Internet users who do not hesitate to ridicule homophobic critics:
Following the filming of this particularly demanding series, Tom Holland made it known that he wanted to take a one-year break in his career. In an interview with Entertainment Weeklyhe assures : “I’m now taking a year off, and that’s a result of the difficulty of this series. I can’t wait to see what this will bring. I feel like our hard work hasn’t been in vain.”
The Crowded Room is available on Apple TV+.