“Spider-Man: No Way Home” audiences didn’t need another reason to love Tom Holland as Peter Parker, but now they have one. The 25-year-old actor made good on a promise to one of his youngest fans who happens to be a real-life hero.
It all started when 6-year-old Bridger Walker stepped in to defend his 4-year-old sister from a dog attack. According to CNN, the kids were playing outside their Cheyenne, Wyoming home when a German shepherd mix began attacking them. The little boy later said he protected his sister because, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” Bridger’s injuries required more than 90 stitches while his little sister was mostly unharmed thanks to her brother’s altruism.
His story quickly went viral, catching the attention of multiple celebrities and famous athletes including Anne Hathaway, Chris Evans, and Mark Ruffalo. Since Bridger was such a big Spider-Man fan, Holland promised to let him come hang out on set.
And now Bridger’s father, Robert Walker, said that dream came true. He shared pictures and a video on Instagram documenting his son’s dream meeting with his favorite superhero.
Robert wrote, “Remember when @tomholland2013 promised Bridger he could come to the filming of Spider-Man? He delivered!”
The elated father described how he was a little worried that the “magic of the movies” would be gone if his kids saw their favorite actors on set instead of on a screen. But he didn’t need to worry about that. Robert explained how delighted Bridger was to see Holland dressed as Spider-Man.
“The look on the kids’ faces was priceless when we rounded the blue-screen to see Tom, in full costume, high above the set on a light post,” Robert wrote. He went on, describing how the movie’s success was due in part to the caliber of the actors participating.
“While there are so many reasons [the movie] will go down as one of the best ever – I personally think it is because the cast and crew are good, kind, and passionate people,” he wrote. “Individuals who heard about a little boy’s injury, who wanted to make it right. People who were willing to stop a very busy day of shooting to make my little boy smile, and give him a chance to ‘web-swing’ with his hero.”
And it’s no wonder Holland has such a way with kids. During a recent interview with People magazine, the actor discussed taking a break from his Hollywood career to become a father. “I love kids,” the actor told the magazine.
“I can’t wait to be a dad — I can wait and I will, but I can’t wait! If I’m at a wedding or a party, I’m always at the kids’ table hanging out. My dad’s been such a great role model for me. I think I’ve got that from him.”
Currently, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is crushing box office records and proving that there’s still an audience for high-quality content during a pandemic. The film raked in $253 million domestically opening weekend, according to Variety. Before this, no post-COVID-19 film had managed to cross the $100 million mark in just one weekend.