Tom Holland has revealed why he has never hosted Saturday Night Live despite being asked several times. The 30-year-old Spider-Man star opened up about his struggle with dyslexia during an appearance on Amy Poehler‘s Good Hang podcast. He said reading cue cards on live television is something that genuinely terrifies him.
The actor, who next appears in Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, admitted that turning down the iconic sketch show has been difficult because he loves the program.
Tom Holland Says Reading Cue Cards Causes a ‘Mental Block’
Tom Holland did not hold back when explaining his fear. He told Amy Poehler that he is “heavily dyslexic.” For him, reading lines out loud under pressure is not simple.
“I’m heavily dyslexic which is one of the reasons why, and I’d love to talk to you about it today actually, I’ve never done SNL. I’m just so petrified at the concept of trying to read something and they change.” – Tom Holland
The actor clarified that he can read fine in normal situations. The problem happens when he has to read out loud. He described it as a “mental block” that makes him freeze.
Holland said his worst day at work is always the read-through for movies. He explained his personal method for coping: “I will try and highlight everything and learn my lines ahead of time so that I am more skimming it than I am reading it.”
SNL Has Asked Holland ‘A Few Times’ to Host
Despite his massive fame from playing Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Holland has never taken the stage at Studio 8H. He revealed that the show’s producers have reached out to him on multiple occasions.
“I’ve been really lucky that they’ve asked me a few times to do it,” Holland said. “The truth is that I’m actually just really scared at the prospect.”
He made it clear that his fear has nothing to do with the quality of the show. “I love the show, and I love the idea of having fun and making a fool of yourself in such a fun, creative way. It’s just that thing of the cue cards.”
Amy Poehler Tries to Reassure the Spider-Man Star
Amy Poehler, who was a cast member on SNL from 2001 to 2008, tried to make Holland feel better. She noted that many people with dyslexia have likely hosted the show during its 51-season run.
She also added a funny comment to lighten the mood. “You have to remember, there have been people that have hosted who have been fully on drugs, so I think you can do it,” Poehler joked.
Holland appreciated the sentiment but did not change his position. The fear of live television combined with the specific challenge of cue cards remains too high for him.
Fans and Experts Praise Holland for His Honesty
News of Tom Holland‘s revelation spread quickly after the podcast aired on June 1, 2026. Fans and dyslexia advocates praised the actor for speaking openly about his struggles.
Kay Carter from The Dyslexia Association told the BBC that Holland‘s words were “powerful and genuinely brave.” She added: “That kind of honesty really helps others feel seen and understood.”
According to the NHS, dyslexia is a common learning difficulty where the brain processes information differently. It mainly affects reading, writing, and using numbers. There is no cure, but there are strategies to manage it.
Holland‘s admission puts a spotlight on a challenge that affects millions of people worldwide. By turning down one of the biggest gigs in entertainment, he showed that success does not mean every opportunity has to be taken.
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What Tom Holland Is Working on Instead of SNL
Fans will not have to wait long to see Tom Holland on screen. He has two major movies coming out in July 2026.
First, Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey arrives in theaters on July 17, 2026. Holland plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus. The cast includes Matt Damon, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron.
Then, just two weeks later, Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into cinemas on July 31, 2026. This is the fourth Spider-Man movie starring Holland. It is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.
Holland recently explained that filming The Odyssey actually helped make the new Spider-Man movie better. He asked Sony to delay production on Spider-Man 4 so he could work with Nolan. That delay gave the studio six extra months to develop the script and bring in Cretton as director.
“The Odyssey almost saved Spider-Man,” Holland told GQ magazine. “I truly believe that we’ve made the best version of any Spider-Man movie going.”
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