Tom Holland opens up about the mistakes he might’ve made while portraying Nathan Drake in Uncharted. An adaptation of the eponymous action-adventure video game series, and directed by Ruben Fleischer, the film is completed and currently scheduled to be released in February 2022.
Uncharted has been in the works for some time, though. The project was first announced in 2008. In its earliest version, it would have been helmed by David O. Russell and led by Mark Wahlberg in the main role of Nathan. That has since changed, with Holland taking over the role and Wahlberg portraying the mentor Sully. Holland recently revealed that he’s keenly aware of the casting shift.
As part of a profile on Holland for GQ UK, the actor shed light on the pressure of being Nathan in the Uncharted adaptation. Holland explains that, while playing an action hero who is more mature, he had moments of experiencing self-doubt and vanity. By turn, Holland wasn’t sure if he looked good enough during certain shots. In others, he would focus intensely on looking good. Overall, the Marvel alum admits, he learned a valuable lesson and aims not to repeat that same mistake. You can read Holland’s quote below:
As soon as you start worrying about ‘Do I look good in this shot?’ acting becomes something other than playing a character. I think there are elements of my performance in Uncharted where I kind of fell under that spell of being ‘I want to look good now. I want this to be my cool moment.’ I had to play this very tough, very stoic guy – basically be Mark Wahlberg. My character is supposed to be a f–ing action hero in this moment! Look, I haven’t seen it, so I don’t know if I succeeded in that. But it was an important lesson learned, because, at times, it was less about land a mark and go through this scene and more about land a mark, stand like this and see my bulging biceps… It was a mistake and is something that I will probably never do again.
In some ways, Holland’s introspective remarks echo those who have contended that Uncharted shouldn’t focus on a young version of Nathan Drake. These arguments come down to the fact that an older character would be more interesting to explore than a youthful protagonist still discovering their abilities. In others, it’s a notable instance of self-criticism from a performer who’s looking to diversify his filmography. Holland is no stranger to genres well beyond the superhero realm, having appeared in disaster dramas and taut thrillers before stepping into the role of Peter Parker, but he was used often in a supporting capacity. Projects like Uncharted have moved forward with Holland at the very center of the frame, allowing the actor to show off his chops in a performance which combines James Bond and Indiana Jones. It’s understandable that he would have a few moments of wanting to make sure he comes across looking like a certified action star.
It speaks well of Holland that, long before the adaptation is released, he’s able to step back and make an ultimately bruising assessment of his own work. As he’s emerged as one of Hollywood’s busiest talents, with many years still ahead of him, he’s bound to make some choices that work and others that fall flat. It’s worth pointing out, as well, that actors can be their own worst critics. Many refuse to watch their scenes for this exact reason. It’s possible that the flaws that Holland references won’t translate to the screen when Uncharted premieres.
Source: GQ UK
