LONDON, Sept 2 — Tom Holland may be best known for swinging across the big screen as Marvel’s Spider-Man, but the British actor is now fronting a very different role — in a new LEGO short film encouraging children (and adults) not to give up on play.
The two-minute live-action and animated short, Never Stop Playing, was released today by the LEGO Group amid research showing children feel pressured to grow up too fast.
IGN Southeast Asia reported that in the film, Holland jumps between a whirlwind of characters — from space marine and footballer to inventor, senior citizen and even a LEGO minifigure — each reminded by the power of play to stay creative and curious.
“I think it really does help,” Holland reportedly told IGN.
“I have ADHD and I’m dyslexic… any way you can interact with something that forces you to be creative and think outside the box just promotes healthy creativity. And I think the more we do that sort of stuff, the better.”
The 28-year-old, who is currently filming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, said play has always been a part of his life.
These days it includes golf, paddle tennis and online chess with his brother Harry, but LEGO has been a constant since childhood.
“We had so many different sets as kids,” he said, recalling how he used LEGO dinosaurs to give his room “a creative edge” during tidying competitions with his siblings.
Harry and Sam Holland even make cameo appearances in the new short, something Tom said made the project especially meaningful.
“They presented an opportunity to do something with my brothers, which was really fun and not something that happens every day,” he reportedly added.
The brothers also reminisced about their favourite LEGO video games — Star Wars and Indiana Jones — which allowed them to play together rather than take turns on the Xbox.
“We’re very competitive as brothers, so rivalries were born on the LEGO battlefield,” Harry said.
Tom also recalled building a LEGO Death Star with Spider-Man: Homecoming co-star Jacob Batalon, a nod to the film’s famous scene where Ned drops the model in shock.
“I just remember having really fond memories of sitting down with Jacob… and it was rooted in making this LEGO Death Star. It was a very, very poignant and fantastic time,” he said.
