Tom Holland recalled a failed attempt to Jon Bernthal to get him to adopt the acting method.
The story goes back to the days of filming “Pilgrimage,” where Bernthal’s character was mute and Holland was trying to help him stay in character while they were offbeat.
Since then, the pair have reunited on two major projects, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “The Odyssey.”
Tom Holland helped Bernthal adopt the “complete method” for the “pilgrimage”
Appearing in “Hot Ones,” Holland recalled his time filming “Pilgrimage” with Bernthal, who fully committed to methodical acting by refusing to speak off-camera because his character was mute.
Before production began, the “Punisher” star told Holland, “I’m going to go all out…I’m going to need your help.” Holland agreed, but the experience quickly became awkward, especially whenever they went out to eat.
“For about two weeks, not a word from him,” Holland recalled. “And we all know Jon Bernthal. We all love Jon Bernthal. My man loves to talk. So we sit in restaurants and he rates his food, and they’re regular restaurants in Ireland.”
According to Holland, the awkward situation required him to explain Bernthal’s unusual behavior to confused staff, joking, “I feel sorry for my friend. He’s just a pretentious actor.”
A salmon order ended the Bernthal Method acting streak
Bernthal’s commitment to method play came to an abrupt end during one of their restaurant visits to Ireland.
After weeks of communicating only through written notes, he asked Holland for lemon for his salmon. However, the waitress misunderstood and instead dropped the lemon into Bernthal’s glass of water.
The confusion proved too much for the actor to bear in silence. Recalling the moment, Holland said Bernthal immediately blurted out, “All right, shit. I’m talking again,” ending his self-imposed vow of silence.
Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal reunite for two major projects
Jon Bernthal and Tom Holland together in ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.
Both films are in theaters this month. pic.twitter.com/dOxn2a2XIJ
– Discussing Film (@DiscussingFilm) July 9, 2026
After starring together in 2017’s “Pilgrimage,” Holland and Bernthal didn’t share the screen again until recently, when they reunited on two back-to-back projects.
In “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” the duo play superheroes, with Holland reprising his role as Spider-Man while the film marks Bernthal’s big screen debut in the MCU as the Punisher after years of portraying the character on television.
The two men also appear together in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey”, released in theaters on July 17. Holland plays the most important role of Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, played by Matt Damon. Meanwhile, Bernthal plays Menelaus, the king of Sparta, who only appears in a few key scenes.
Tom Holland loves his latest press tour
Holland’s appearance alongside Bernthal is just one of several promotional stops he has made to support the release of his latest films.
Although balancing both projects has allowed him to keep his busy schedule, the actor said he is relishing this busy time as he is immensely proud of both productions.
“I love it. When you’re doing press for films that you’re really proud of, it’s really easy,” the actor said during an appearance on the “Dish” podcast.
He added, “Because when they ask you questions about why people should go see this movie, you’re not lying to anyone. You really think people should go see it. I’ve had experiences before where people were like, ‘Why should you see this movie?’ And in the back of your mind you’re like, ‘You shouldn’t, because it’s crap.’
‘The Odyssey’ and ‘Spider-Man’ Achieve Major Box Office Milestones
Although it faced criticism before its release, “The Odyssey” got off to a good start at the box office.
The film grossed over $264 million in its opening weekend, with ticket sales split almost equally between domestic and international markets. Now in its second week, “The Odyssey” is on track to surpass the $500 million mark worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of the year.
Meanwhile, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is set to arrive in cinemas on July 31 and is already expected to post record box office numbers, given the success of previous Dutch Spider-Man films. Two of the first installments surpassed $1 billion at the worldwide box office, while the third still grossed an impressive $880 million worldwide.
