One man’s trash bag is the secret of another man’s fitness.
Actor Tom Holland says he took extreme measures to lose weight for his role as a skinny heroin addict in his new film “Cherry” – even placing a plastic trash bag while working out.
“I lost about 27 pounds running in a garbage bag every day,” Holland said recently in the April issue of GQ, adding, “It was awful. Truly.”
The 24-year-old “Spider-Man: No Way Home” star was just ten weeks away from filming the film when he realized that his character had to radically “transform” from a marine into a emaciated drug addict.
Desperate to get into “heroin” form in time, he resorted to trash tactics so he could create more sweat during training, thus reducing the weight of the water. He also went on an extreme diet.
“I sat down with my trainer, George Ashwell, and he said to me, ‘Okay, you need to eat just 500 calories a day and run ten miles. Go, ‘”he told the magazine. “Excellent. It was brutal.”
Holland faced even greater pain when he had to gain muscle quickly for the role.
“And then grow up from being a drug addict to shooting scenes like a marine? In fact, I got really sick, ”he said.
Holland said he would hesitate to take on a role that would require such drastic body changes in the future.
“My relationship with food has completely changed,” he said. “I think it would be very difficult to find a role that would justify this type of abuse in my body again.”
Along with the physical challenges he faced, the dark film also had an emotional impact in the Netherlands.
“Have you taken heroin before? Because I don’t, ”he said. “I couldn’t sit there on the set and inject heroin into my chest – that’s not how it is done. I had to get it right. That role took me to some of the darkest places I’ve ever been, emotionally, physically, anything…I would never go back there, for anyone. “
He added: “I’m glad I did that, but that door is now closed and locked.”
“Cherry” is already in theaters and will be available for broadcast on Apple TV + on March 12.