The 29-year-old actor also reflected on whether the last few years of his career would have unfolded the same way if he had continued drinking. Holland did not try to turn sobriety into a neat success formula, but he was candid about the connection he sees between the two.
"That's a really big question," he said. "I've been so lucky in the last four years that my career has really blossomed in a really lovely way, and I really love what's happening and what I have to come in the future. And I don't know how much of that would've come to fruition had I still been drinking."
That is not a small admission from an actor whose public profile has stayed under a bright spotlight, from the Spider-Man franchise to ongoing interest in his relationship with longtime partner Zendaya. Stylist Law Roach has also added to recent speculation that Holland and Zendaya may have privately married, though neither actor has confirmed that publicly.
His friends are drinking less too
Holland said his decision has also changed the social temperature around him. Nights with friends that once revolved around alcohol now look very different.
"All of my friends have really slowed down drinking," he said. "I had all of my mates over the other night. That used to be, like, a really, really boozy affair. We'd be up till 1 in the morning drinking. We'd be all hungover the next day. And I had like 10 guys over at my house, and I don't think anyone had a drop of alcohol."
For Holland, the value was not just avoiding a hangover. It was the quality of the time itself.
"Everyone was really present," the Cherry star said. "There was no waking up the next day feeling groggy. And I just love what it's done for my life in general."
Part of a wider shift
Holland's comments land in a broader cultural moment. According to a 2023 Gallup poll, the share of adults under 35 who drink alcohol has fallen by more than 10 percentage points over the past two decades.
Holland said he understands why more young people are stepping back from alcohol or looking for alternatives.
"Alcohol can be an amazing thing, but it can also be an incredibly dangerous thing," he said. "And I just love seeing that young people are turning away from booze and looking for alternatives. And it creates, I think, a safer environment, a more communal environment."
For an actor used to major franchise machinery and relentless public attention, Holland's point is notably practical. Sobriety, as he describes it, has not been about image management. It has been about feeling steady enough to live and work with a clearer head.
