Asa Butterfield reflects on losing out Spider-Man role to Tom Holland

Sex Education actor Asa Butterfield was almost cast as Spider-Man, but lost out to Tom Holland.

Actor Asa Butterfield almost played Spider-Man. At one point during the casting process, he was considered the front-runner. But ultimately, the role went to Tom Holland, who has played the Marvel superhero in several films since.

Butterfield, who stars in Netflix’s Sex Education, said in a recent interview that he wouldn’t have been able to do the show had he bagged the Spider-Man role, and so he considers it a blessing in disguise. He told Collider, “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. 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 Sex Ed, because I wouldn’t have been able to do both of those at the same time.”

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Butterfield and Holland were flown to Atlanta, where Captain America: Civil War was in production, to audition opposite Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. Butterfield said that in the end, his take on the character was perhaps not what the directors and producers were looking for.

“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 said. “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.”

The actor was all praise for Holland, who will return for a third solo Spider-Man film soon. “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 said.