CNN –
Tom Holland learned the importance of prioritizing his mental health after producing and starring in his upcoming AppleTV+ miniseries The Crowded Room.
That’s one of the reasons the “Spider-Man” star took a break from acting to just “be a regular guy from Kingston and just chill,” he told Extra in an interview published Tuesday.
Given the heavy issues surrounding mental health, Holland said it was “a difficult time” making The Crowded Room because it “explored certain emotions that I’ve definitely never experienced before.”
Inspired by Daniel Keyes’ 1981 novel The Minds of Billy Milligan, the miniseries follows the arrest of a young man for a shocking crime and the “unlikely detective” who solves the mystery behind it, according to a synopsis.
And while Holland said he “really enjoyed” doing the series, he added that “the show ultimately broke me.”
“There came a time when I thought I needed a break. I disappeared, went to Mexico for a week and spent some time on the beach and retired and now I’m taking a year off and that’s because of how difficult this show was,” he said.
Thanks to his friends, family, castmates and an on-set psychologist, Holland felt supported throughout the process. He even said the experience changed him for the better and made him feel very “grown up”.
Holland also told EW in May that his experience on set led to his decision to take a break from drinking.
On his acting break, Holland told Extra this week that he spends his time travelling, meeting family and friends and playing golf. He even invested time “buying plants and doing my best to keep them alive.”
The Crowded Room will be available to stream on AppleTV+ on June 9th.