Tom Holland has opened up about his journey into sobriety, as he labels it the "best thing" that he has ever done.
Holland, 27, is one of Hollywood's most sought-after actors as the Spider-Man star is able to move seamlessly from comedy to action, to drama.
The actor recently sat down with Jay Shetty on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast, where he gave a very candid interview about his journey with alcohol.
The 27-year-old revealed that he gave up drinking after a particularly boozy holiday, and now credits it as one of the "best things" he's done, as he now feels better within himself.
"I didn’t one day wake up and say, I’m giving up drinking," Holland said. "I just, like many Brits, had had a very, very boozy December. [It was] Christmas time, I was on vacation, I was drinking a lot, and I’ve always been able to drink a lot."
The Spider-Man actor explained that he gave up drinking for dry January, though even this proved tricky as he admitted: "I was waking up thinking about it. I was checking the clock, when’s it 12:00PM?"
Holland became concerned by these thoughts and this is what spurred him on to become sober. "It just really scared me. I just was like, wow, maybe. Maybe I have a little bit of an alcohol thing. So I sort of decided to punish myself and say, I’ll do February as well. I’ll do two months off. If I can do two months off, then I can prove to myself that I don’t have a problem," he said.
Although the actor was making steady progress, the drinking culture within the United Kingdom proved to be a stumbling block, as he felt that he couldn't go to a pub and have a soft drink.
Watch the full interview below:He eventually proved to himself that going sober was the correct decision for him, as he stated: "I said to myself, if I can do six months without alcohol, then I can prove to myself that I don’t have a problem. By the time I got to June 1, I was the happiest I've ever been in my life."
Holland continued: "I could sleep better. I could handle problems better. Things that would go wrong on set, that would normally set me off, I could take in my stride. I had such better mental clarity. I felt healthier, I felt fitter."
The 27-year-old going sober also inspired his mother to do the same, and he claims that she is loving it, and he himself is "feeling amazing".
Although this has meant that he has given up one of his favorite pastimes of watching rugby matches due to the drinking culture surrounding it, it's clear that Holland is incredibly happy with his decision.
He made sure to give a nod to his girlfriend, Zendaya, and her support through his journey. "It's interesting being in a romantic relationship with someone that is in the same boat as you. You can share your experiences and all that sort of stuff — and that's worth its weight in gold."