Tom Holland Wanted to Put On as Much Size as Possible For ‘Uncharted’: ‘Next to Mark Whalberg, I Look Like a Rake’
Tom Holland stars opposite Mark Wahlberg in one of the first big movies of 2022, Uncharted. Even though he had training from playing Spider-Man, Holland had to physically prepare for the role before production began. In addition to getting ready for Nathan Drake’s death-defying stunts, he increased his weight to avoid appearing small next to his co-star.
Tom Holland found 1 ‘Uncharted’ stunt difficult
The Uncharted video games feature plenty of climbing and jumping over platforms and objects. The film adaptation incorporates some of the most memorable moments from the series. There were some scenes from the games that the film could not do.
However, Holland and the crew could pull off one of the most famous sequences. The moment in question is the plane cargo scene, and Nathan falls out of the plane. He almost plummets to his death, but his foot luckily gets stuck.
Nathan then jumps over crates to get back inside while facing opponents. Holland experienced genuine fear when he filmed the cargo scene. The crew took about five weeks to shoot it. Speaking to Fandango All Access, the actor called the stunt “incredibly tough” to do.
Holland trained for a while to do a sequence that lasted a few minutes. After all, the process involves him hanging onto a box that is spinning. He admitted he obtained minor injuries after filming the stunts. For example, Holland would get rope burns, bruises, and blisters.
Holland put on as much weight as possible
Uncharted features other physical scenes for the actors to endure. Like some of his other projects, Holland had to undergo adequate training. It likely took him weeks to build enough strength to film the action-adventure flick.
Holland already performed workout routines when working with Marvel. He likely knew an effective regime to build upper-body strength. But Holland acquired 16 to 18 pounds of muscle to play Nathan.
“I got as strong as I’ve ever been, but the interesting thing is I basically wanted to put on as much size as possible,” Holland told The Hollywood Reporter. “Because next to Mark Wahlberg, I look like a rake. So, I wanted to just get into shape and put on as much weight as possible.”
While Holland made himself bigger, he did not do many cardiovascular exercises. He didn’t want to waste calories he didn’t need to burn. As a result, he wasn’t in share to run during long scenes. Still, he could do things like pull-ups.
Holland’s ‘Uncharted’ role and fitness routine
The Uncharted adaptation uses elements from the games but tells a different story. Nathan Drake assists Wahlberg’s Sully with heists while searching for his brother. They come across other notable characters as well.
Sophia Ali’s Chloe teams up with Nathan after stealing a cross from him and Sully. They follow clues from a diary to find treasure. Viewers see the characters go on an adventure while connecting with Nathan’s personal goal.
Holland was a fan of the franchise before filming. The actor considered the character more challenging than others. Nathan is more of “the cool guy” than Holland’s previous roles.
According to Men’s Journal, Holland’s Spider-Man: Far From Home fitness routine included deadlifts, weighted dips, and incline press with pronation. Of course, his regime did not contain exercises like jogging. The outlet reports he increased his intake of greens, protein, and carbs.
