Asa Butterfield Addresses Losing Spider-Man Role To Tom Holland

Back in 2015, the hottest role in Hollywood was Spider-Man. Disney and Sony Pictures had struck a deal which would allow the Marvel character to debut in Captain America: Civil War before beginning a longer tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with standalone films and Avengers movie crossovers. It was only a question of who would play the part of Spider-Man. Shortlists and rumors began to come out before Tom Holland landed the role. Among those eyed for the gig by Marvel Studios was Asa Butterfield, an actor who has since gone on his own successful path outside of Marvel, now opening up about missing out on the Spider-Man job.

“Every so often there’s a part [that you really want] and it’s a script you love, and you kind of put your heart and soul into it, and you don’t get it,” Butterfield told Collider. “And it is tough and it is sh-t, but I often find that something even better comes out of it at the end. And so in the case of Spider-Man, I did [Netflix’s Sex Education], because I wouldn’t have been able to do both of those at the same time.”

Holland has gone on with the role through five movies so far, including the highest-grossing standalone Spider-Man movie to date in the form of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Though there will always and rightfully be a debate, some fans consider him to be the best actor to have played the role. Butterfield, however, does not look at the missed opportunity as any sort of defining crux of his career.

“I think as an actor and going out for roles, there’s only so much you can do and everyone’s gonna have a different take on a part and look at a character in different ways, have a different sort of performance, and you kind of have to stick with what you think,” he says. “And if that isn’t necessary in line with what the director and the producers want, then it’s like, there’s nothing you can do about that. You might just not be the right person, and that’s out of your hands. And that’s something I’ve learned, something that I think is great to help me kind of get over it. Because Tom did amazing things with Peter and he had an entirely different portrayal of him and I think it’s worked so well in the universe and in that part, and I don’t think I could do it. So I think all things work out in the end.”

Butterfield’s Sex Education is available on Netflix now.