Tom Holland’s audition tape was a punishing experience
Jon Bernthal, who first appeared on screen as the Punisher in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, played a key role in Holland’s journey.
The Odyssey co-stars were working on the 2017 film Pilgrid, and “that’s where Tom auditioned for Spider-Man and I auditioned for[Netflix’s]Punisher,” Bernthal said on Jimmy Kimmel Live in April 2025. “We actually made audition tapes of each other for that movie.”
Bernthal noted that Holland certainly tried to temper the teenager’s expectations because he was so confident.
“I thought, ‘I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who want to be Spider-Man. I mean, you’re very talented, but the odds are a little against you, but yeah, let’s make a tape,'” Bernthal recalls. But he also didn’t want Holland to get lost in the shuffle, so “I gave him a note: ‘Tom, maybe you should run up that wall and do two backflips and then start the scene.'” And he said, “Yeah, do you think I should do that?” Isn’t that too much?
Bernthal quipped, “It’s not like I’m responsible for him[appearing]but it’s kind of a little thing.”
