Tom Holland finally addressed the viral story about Erling Haaland ignoring his dinner invitation during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The Spider-Man actor confirmed he messaged the Norwegian football star after spotting him at the Monaco Grand Prix, only to receive zero response.
Holland, who was on the show to promote Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, laughed off the awkward moment and called it a “humbling experience”. The story first surfaced after Haaland admitted on a Norwegian interview show that he had no idea who sent the message because he does not watch movies.
The Monaco Grand Prix Encounter That Started It All
The entire situation traces back to the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix. Holland was watching Lewis Hamilton race when he noticed Haaland in a hospitality suite nearby.
“I was at Monaco. I was watching Lewis race, and I saw him. He was like a hospitality suite across from me, and I just thought I’d shoot my shot,” Holland explained on the show.
The actor decided to send a direct message inviting the Manchester City striker to dinner. What followed was complete silence.
No Response, No Excuse, Nothing
When Jimmy Fallon asked Holland directly if he had messaged Haaland, the actor admitted it was true.
“Yes. Yes, and I tell you what, that is exactly the type of humbling experience that is important for actors,” Holland said.
He went on to describe how the invitation went nowhere.
“You know, you’ll be like, ‘I’ll text him, I’ll take him to dinner,’ not even a response, not an excuse, not ‘I’m busy tonight, I’m playing football,’ nada,” Holland said.
The actor admitted he never expected to discuss the rejection on live television.
“I never imagined I would talk about it on live television, but here we are,” he joked.
Haaland Had No Idea Who Tom Holland Was
The story gained widespread attention after Erling Haaland himself explained why he never replied. Speaking on the Norwegian show A Laget, the 25-year-old footballer admitted he did not recognize the sender.
“This is a bit embarrassing, to be completely honest. We were in Monaco at the Formula 1, and then I got a message. I don’t watch movies much, so I have no idea who people are,” Haaland said.
He recalled receiving a dinner invitation but chose not to respond because he thought it came from an unknown person.
“There was one asking if we could go out for dinner, but I’d never seen him, so I didn’t bother to answer. I didn’t want to answer an unknown person,” Haaland explained.
After later discovering the message came from the Spider-Man star, Haaland laughed about the mix-up.
“I think I’ll have to send him a message now. I’d completely forgotten about it,” he said.
Holland Praises Haaland Despite the Snub
Even though his invitation went unanswered, Tom Holland had nothing but good things to say about the football star.
“He’s incredible. I mean, he’s an absolute legend,” Holland said during the interview.
Fallon also got in on the fun by singing a humorous song to help distinguish between Holland and Haaland, given their similar surnames.
The host asked Holland if he would still have dinner with Haaland. The actor responded with a joke referencing England’s recent World Cup victory over Norway.
“I don’t think he would have dinner with me after the other day,” Holland said.
England defeated Norway 2-1 in the World Cup quarterfinals on July 11, knocking Haaland’s team out of the tournament.
Fallon agreed, noting Haaland was “probably hurting a little bit” after the loss.
Also Read:
What’s Coming Next for Tom Holland
Tom Holland is currently busy promoting two major films. The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, hits theaters worldwide on July 17, 2026. Holland plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, alongside Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron.
Several cast members reportedly signed on without even knowing their roles, simply because they wanted to work with Nolan.
Holland also returns as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. The film releases in India on July 30 and worldwide on July 31, 2026. The movie picks up four years after No Way Home in a world where no one remembers Peter Parker’s secret identity.
For more stories on your favorite celebrities and entertainment news, keep visiting VvipTimes for the latest updates from Hollywood.
Leave a Reply