Tom Holland found out he'd been cast as Spider-Man after reading about it online.

Tom Holland

Tom Holland

The 20-year-old actor - who underwent a gruelling five-month audition process to land the role of the web-slinging superhero and his alter ego Peter Parker - was surprised not to get a call telling him the news until after Marvel Studios announced it on their Instagram account.

He said: "I just found out online. They didn't call me up or anything."

Tom called to check the confirmation with his agents, and then Marvel boss Kevin Feige rang him to break the "great news".

He added to talk show host Ellen DeGeneres: "Then Kevin Feige finally called me and said, 'I've got some great news. You're going to be Spider-Man.'

"I was like, 'I know Kevin. You put it on Instagram.' Like, I'm 20. You really think I'm not going to find it?"

Meanwhile, the British star recently moved out of home for the first time - but is living just a few minutes walk away from his family after being tricked by his mother.

He said: "I have just gone through the stressful process of buying my first apartment, which I am over the moon with. The funny story is I'd been looking for an apartment for nearly two years.

"My mom rang me up, actually, while I was shooting re-shoots here on this lot. She was like, 'Tom, I've found the most amazing apartment. It's two bedrooms. It's lovely. You'll love it. It's brilliant.'

"I was like, 'Mom, that sounds amazing. Where is it?'

"You could literally throw a stone from my house is where it is. It's like down the street from where I live in London.

"I was kind of planning to move out here to LA, but now I'm only just moving five minutes away from my mom. It sounded great.

"I was like, 'Mom, you should do it! Just put the offer in! It sounds great!' She was like, 'Oh, I've already done it.' Thanks mom. But I love it. I'm so happy she did."

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