A Far Cry From Spider-Man: All About Tom Holland's 'The Crowded Room'
Tom Holland is trading his spide-y suit for an orange jumpsuit in his newest role. From Oscar-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind) comes a new psychological thriller miniseries The Crowded Room, centered on a criminal investigation in NYC in 1979.
The Spider-Man actor also executive produced the series, and has been open about how the role has shaped and changed his views on mental health. “I’m no stranger to the physical aspects of the job doing the whole action-movie thing,” he told Entertainment Weekly in an interview before revealing that he has been sober for a year after filming wrapped. “But the mental aspect, it really beat me up and it took a long time for me to recover afterwards, to sort of get back to reality.”
Here’s everything you need to know about The Crowded Room before its release on AppleTV+ in June.
What is The Crowded Room about?
Inspired by the 1981 book The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes, The Crowded Room miniseries follows a man named Danny Sullivan who's involved in a New York City shooting. After his arrest, he's questioned by a interrogator who uncovers various truths and revelations about his life.
Is The Crowded Room based on a true story?
Keyes’ book is a work of nonfiction centered on the life of the titular Billy Milligan, who was the first person in history to claim insanity in court and be acquitted of a crime based on this diagnosis. The real-life Milligan was known as the “Campus Rapist” after he was arrested for three rapes on the campus of Ohio State University, and he also committed other felonies including armed robbery.
The Crowded Room changes several details of the case, including the main character’s name, the setting and the type of crime being investigated. However, the issue of mental illness still plays a central role in the events of the series. Holland’s hope is that the series will encourage audiences to “have more respect and more sympathy for people who are going through mental health issues.”
Who is in the cast of The Crowded Room?
Tom Holland
AppleTV+
Tom Holland stars as Danny Sullivan, the man at the center of a mysterious shooting in NYC. Showrunner Akiva Goldsman told EW that Holland was “the first and only” actor he approached for the role of Danny.
Holland not only chose to be sober after filming The Crowded Room, but also revealed that the character occasionally became too much to inhabit. “I was seeing myself in him, but in my personal life. I remember having a bit of a meltdown at home and thinking, like, ‘I’m going to shave my head. I need to shave my head because I need to get rid of this character.’ And, obviously, we were mid-shooting, so I decided not to. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before,” he recalled.
Amanda Seyfried
AppleTV+
Amanda Seyfried, who recently played convicted criminal Elizabeth Holmes, moves to the other side of the interrogation table for The Crowded Room, starring as Rya Goodwin, the interrogator who uncovers Danny's life secrets after his arrest.
Thomas Sadoski
AppleTV+
Seyfried's real-life husband, Thomas Sadoski, co-stars as a fellow investigator.
Related: All About Amanda Seyfried's Husband, Thomas Sadoski
Emmy Rossum
Apple TV+
Shameless star Emmy Rossum plays Candy Sullivan, Danny's mother. It seems as if she'll appear mostly in flashback, but the scope of her role—and what becomes of her character—remains to be seen.
Related: Where Is the Shameless cast Today?
Sasha Lane
AppleTV+
Sasha Lane plays Danny's closest friend, Ariana. She recently starred in another adaptation, Hulu's Conversation With Friends, based on the book by Sally Rooney.
The miniseries also features Christopher Abbott, Emma Laird, Jason Isaacs and more.
Is there a trailer for The Crowded Room?
AppleTV+ released a trailer for The Crowded Room in early May, with Seyfried’s voiceover propelling us through the questions surrounding Holland’s character Danny.
What is the release date for The Crowded Room?
The series will premiere on June 9, 2023 with three episodes.
How many episodes are in The Crowded Room?
The series will have 10 episodes in total, which will be released weekly following the initial drop.
Where can I watch The Crowded Room?
The miniseries will stream exclusively on Apple TV+ starting June 9, 2023.