‘We start shooting and Robert Downey Jr gets fed’: Tom Holland pays tribute to his partner who saved his first scene as Spider-Man 10 years ago

In Peter Parker’s debut in the Marvel Universe, Tom Holland received unexpected but crucial support from Robert Downey Jr. The actor, best known for his role as Tony Stark, literally saved Holland’s first scene on set.

Holland, who played Spider-Man in the MCU for nine years, recalled the memory in a podcast last year.Rich Roll“He talked about the invaluable help Downey gave him during the first shoot.”Where did the baby’s answers go?” he asked when he discovered that the scene had been significantly reduced from the Dutch audition.

for casting Tom Holland had prepared a long audition scene: eight pages of dialogue, whereas the norm is more like two pages. His audition was a success and he was quickly integrated into the Avengers team. But on the set of Captain America: Civil War, he noticed that the opening scene where Tony Stark challenges Peter Parker was cut “A page and a half, maybe two pages.“

Robert to the rescue

faced with this Robert Downey Jr. He did not hesitate to intervene. The directors explained to him that with a 140-page script, it was impossible to keep the entire scene. However, the veteran actor insisted.

“We start shooting the scene and Downey gets excited, “Where did the baby lines go?” And the Russians say: “You know, it’s already a 140-page script, we can’t spend much time on it.” And he said, “No, no, no, you want to spend some time on it. Let’s shoot the whole scene, like in the audition. You can always cut into it, but you want it in its entirety.’ And they kept everything. This is what I owe him.“

Thanks to this intervention, the original stage was preserved, a gesture that Holland has never forgotten and for which he says he is extremely grateful.

today, Tom Holland He also wants a favor: helping a young actor find his feet on set, for example Robert Downey Jr. did it for him. With Spider-Man 4 in the works, titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day, he’s excited to be able to support the next generation.

Despite these behind-the-scenes anecdotes, Spider-Man remains one of the MCU’s most popular characters. Holland’s three solo films have grossed $3.9 billion worldwide, not including his role in The Avengers. Its popularity continues to be an asset to Marvel Studios and Sony, guaranteeing success at the box office.

Spider-Man: A New Day with Tom Holland Zendaya and Sadie Sink (Stranger Things), is scheduled to hit our theaters on July 29, 2026. In the meantime, the rest of the saga, as well as other Marvel movies, can be seen on Disney+.