Tom Holland has revealed that he is 'petrified' of hosting Saturday Night Live (SNL) because of his dyslexia, which makes reading cue cards aloud a significant challenge. The British actor, best known for playing Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, made the admission during an appearance on Amy Poehler's podcast Good Hang earlier this week.
Holland's Dyslexia and SNL Fear
Holland, who turned 30 on June 1, has an impressive career that began in childhood with his role in the disaster drama The Impossible. However, few know about his hidden health battles, including dyslexia and ADHD. Dyslexia, a lifelong neurodevelopmental learning difference affecting reading, writing, and spelling, has been a key reason why he has declined multiple invitations to host SNL.
On the podcast, Holland explained: 'I'm heavily dyslexic, which is one of the reasons why I've never done SNL. I'm just so petrified at the concept of trying to read something... and they change.' He added that while he can read fine, reading aloud creates a 'mental block' that causes him to freeze.
Poehler responded with humour, noting that many dyslexic hosts have graced the SNL stage, and even joked: 'You have to remember, there have been people that have hosted that have been fully on drugs.' Holland laughed at the remark.
Impact on Career
Holland shared how this fear affects his work, particularly during film read-throughs. 'My worst day at work is the read-through,' he said. 'I will really try and highlight everything and learn my lines ahead of time so that I'm more skimming it than reading it.'
His parents, Dominic and Nicki Holland, moved him to a private school for better academic support after his diagnosis. They always encouraged him to 'try his best,' which helped him overcome challenges despite his spelling difficulties.
Personal Life
Holland is engaged to actress and singer Zendaya, whom he met on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016. The couple confirmed their engagement in late 2024 after Zendaya wore a diamond ring to the Golden Globes. Rumours of a secret wedding in 2025 were fuelled by AI-generated photos, which Zendaya debunked on Jimmy Kimmel Live! by showing a fake wedding clip with Holland's face superimposed over her co-star Robert Pattinson.
