In a recent interview with ‘The Hollywood Reporter‘ The Spider-Man actor, Tom Holland said about balancing — or not balancing — his duties as an executive producer and star in the first installment of the American period psychological thriller streaming television miniseries.
The series Starred and executive produced by Tom Holland, “The Crowded Room” is a gripping, 10-episode limited series that stars Holland as Danny Sullivan, a man arrested following his involvement in a shooting in New York City in 1979.
It was a challenge for the actor to play such a complex character who is “so misunderstood” which is what initially drew him to the role. Danny is loosely based on the real-life Billy Milligan, the first person to be acquitted of a major crime due to dissociative identity disorder.
Tom Holland reveals it’s a ‘piece of fiction’
Holland explains “We are definitely telling a piece of fiction” there was a load of research that went into bringing this show to life: reading the book, watching the documentary, watching the film, and speaking to experts. It was really important to us to tell this story in an authentic way, as well as a sensitive way.”
The character played by Seyfried, and EP Akiva Goldman’s mother, said she appreciates how unmerciful Rya is in The Crowded Room.
The cast and crew had psychologists on set to keep them in check and ensure they did the right thing, The Cherry Stars added.
“As a professor in the ’70s, men are constantly trying to bury her, get her out of the way, and she just won’t take it,” The Dropout star tells THR. “I always have this hope that I would absorb that confidence when I play characters like this.”
She also shares how she relates to her character, who is trying to juggle her passion for her work and the guilt she has about not being present at home.
“It was amazing. I love her voice, and I love the way she formulates her questions and how sensitive she is to certain people, and how much compassion she has,” Seyfried says. “It’s the most beautiful thing in the world. It was a gift to play her.”
The character played by Emmy Rossum, young Danny’s mother, Candy, ringing Holland’s sentiment about the roles in the show being taxing.
“I think that the characters in the story asked us to go to incredibly challenging, dark, thrilling places and having scene partners that are equally kind of fearless and unafraid to be vulnerable,” she tells THR. “It’s nice to go to the brink with them and still be holding hands.”
The Crowded Room drops its first three episodes on Apple TV+ on June 9, followed by one episode weekly until the finale on July 28.
