Tom Holland Says the First Year of Sobriety Was the ‘Toughest' of His Life

Tom Holland is opening up about his "problem" with drinking, and how his sobriety journey has gotten easier after a difficult first year.

Speaking on Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast, the Spider-Man actor discussed his motivation in founding BERO, a non-alcoholic beer brand.

"We believe well-being is holistic-it's not about sacrifice, but about striking the perfect balance between pleasure and moderation. Inspired by our founder's own journey, BERO is an invitation to experiencing life's richness, fully, and without holding back," BERO's mantra states.

The inspiration came to Holland following his decision to quit drinking in 2022, after trying the Dry January challenge and deciding to ditch alcohol for good. During the podcast interview, the 30-year-old admitted that the first 12 months were the hardest of his sobriety journey.

"I decided to pack [drinking] in, and I got through that first year, which I think was the toughest challenge that I've ever been on," Holland told Poehler. What made the new lifestyle more difficult, Holland recalls, is the lack of non-alcoholic options for people in stores and social settings.

"During that first year, I noticed that there was limited options for people like me, that were looking for something that would scratch that itch, that would help you live or go to the bar and be a part of the social experience, but not feel like the only person with a lemonade," he added.

The actor went to discuss his new addition to the BERO brand, a 0% alcohol shandy, inspired by his real-life partner, Zendaya, who doesn't drink but doesn't enjoy the taste of beer.

"The truth behind the shandies, which we're bringing out this summer, is that Z [Tom's nickname for Zendaya] has never drank. She's never been a drinker…she's the best," Tom said, smiling with Amy, who also called the actress "the best."

"She never found the taste for beer. And everyone remembers their first beer. It's a little bit like…'that kind of doesn't taste great.' And then you get drunk and you're like, oh, okay, let's go," Tom explained.

Tom and Zendaya also have another adventure this summer, with the fourth cinematic outing for Holland's Spider-Man and his beloved MJ, titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day, set for release July 31.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 12:02 PM.