Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal Helped Each Other Audition for Spider-Man and Punisher

Before they became two of Marvel’sfan-favorite heroes, slinging webs and dealing brutal justice, Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal were in a remote town in Ireland together shooting a movie and in that situation they helped each other audition for their Marvel roles.

During a recent chat on IMDb’s TikTok while promoting The Accountant 2, Bernthal opened up about how he and Holland actually helped each other land their big Marvel roles.

The two were working together on Pilgrimage, a 2015 indie film shot on the west coast of Ireland. At that point, neither had suited up for Marvel, but both had their sights set on it.

Bernthal remembers Holland’s confidence when it came to the Spider-Man role:

“He knew. I’m working with him right now. He’s the best. He is the best, and he had such drive, that, you know, young kid, he was like ‘I’m gonna get this.’ I was like, ‘I don’t know, a lot of people probably want it, buddy.’”

It’s one thing to want the part, it’s another to call your shot. Berthal went on to say:

“We actually were in a very tiny town in Ireland making this movie in the west coast of Ireland. He read with me for Punisher, and I read with him for Spider-Man. And we both got cast.”

So, Bernthal read lines for whoever was opposite Spidey, while Holland read lines for whoever was opposite Frank Castle.

Looking back, it’s pretty cool to think these life-changing roles were locked in with help from each other, especially given how different their MCU journeys have been.

Bernthal’s Frank Castle first appeared in Daredevil Season 2 on Netflix before headlining The Punisher. Holland, meanwhile, made his debut in Captain America: Civil War before swinging into his own trilogy and joining the Avengers mega-events.

Even though both characters are New York-based, fans haven’t seen the two meet in the MCU, but they should!

Still, with Bernthal’s recent return in Daredevil: Born Again and a Punisher special on the way, and Avengers: Doomsday coming, anything feels possible.