Did Zendaya really threaten to leave Tom Holland? Here’s what we know

A playful warning, a major Hollywood offer and a difficult decision.

That was the situation Tom Holland found himself in after Christopher Nolan approached him for The Odyssey. The actor has now shared how a conversation with Zendaya became one of the most memorable moments behind his decision to join the highly anticipated film.

Holland recently spoke about being cast as Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, and Penelope, portrayed by Anne Hathaway, in Nolan's adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic. While the opportunity was hard to ignore, accepting it was not an easy-enough choice.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day was scheduled to begin filming around the same time as The Odyssey, leaving Holland with a major scheduling conflict. After meeting Nolan, he returned home and shared the news with Zendaya, who quickly realised which filmmaker had made the offer.

What happened next has now become one of the film's most talked about behind-the-scenes stories.

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Holland revealed that Zendaya jokingly told him she would "leave" him if he turned down ‘The Odyssey’, a remark that drew laughter from Nolan, Damon and Hathaway during the conversation. Nolan even thanked Zendaya for convincing Holland to take on the project.

Making the film work required more than just a decision. Holland later requested Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group chairman and CEO Tom Rothman to delay production on Spider-Man: Brand New Day so he could be part of Nolan's ambitious project.

Nolan shared that he had wanted to work with Holland for years and was delighted they were finally able to collaborate despite the actor's busy schedule.

Earlier this month, Zendaya also reflected on joining ‘The Odyssey’. She said she was overjoyed when Holland first received the offer and never expected that she would later be cast in the film as well. Calling the experience "the dream", she said, sharing the project with Holland and watching him work in a completely different setting made it even more special.

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With both stars part of Christopher Nolan's epic The Odyssey, the film has become one of the year's biggest cinematic events, drawing attention not only for its star-studded cast but also for the stories that have emerged from behind the scenes.