hollywood actor Tom Holland has finally spoken out about one of the internet’s hottest celebrity ghosting stories. During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote The Odyssey, the actor recalled how Norwegian soccer star Erling Haaland never responded to a dinner invitation he sent her. Recalling the incident, Tom laughed it off and admitted that it was a humbling experience.
Tom Holland recalls being ghosted by Erling Haaland
Responding to the now-viral ghost story on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon while promoting The Odyssey, Tom Holland admitted he was the one who reached out to the Manchester City and Norway striker. Laughing at the strange memory, he said, “I’ll tell you what. It’s exactly the kind of humbling experience that’s important for actors.”
Explaining what happened, Tom joked, “You know, you’re like, ‘I’ll text her, I’ll take her out to dinner.’ Not even a response.” He added, “No excuses, ‘I’m busy tonight’ no. I’m playing football. Nada.”
Tom then recalled watching Haaland during the Monaco Grand Prix and deciding to take a chance. “I was in Monaco. I was looking at Lewis [Hamilton] Run, and I saw him. He had like a hospitality suite in front of me, and I just thought I’d hit my shot. [I] Send him a text. I never thought I’d be talking about this on live television, but here we are.
Despite being overlooked, Tom had nothing but praise for the football star, saying, “He’s incredible. I mean, he’s an absolute legend.”
Why did Erling Holland ignore Tom Holland’s message?
The story first gained attention when Erling Haaland revealed why Tom Holland’s dinner invitation was never responded to. The Manchester City and Norway striker admitted that he ignored the message simply because he did not know who sent it.
Speaking on Norwegian show A Leggett, the 25-year-old footballer said: “To be completely honest, it’s a bit embarrassing. We were in Monaco in Formula 1, and then I got a message. I don’t watch movies much, so I don’t know who the people are. One was asking if we could go out for dinner, but I’d never seen him, so I didn’t bother to reply. I don’t reply to an unknown person. Wanted to give.”
It wasn’t until later that Holland realized the message had come from the Spider-Man star. Laughing at the mix-up, he admitted that he had completely forgotten about it and said, “I guess I have to send them a message now. I completely forgot about it.”
Tom Holland is ready for The Odyssey
Tom Holland is now preparing for the release of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, a big-screen adaptation of Homer’s famous Greek epic. The film follows King Odysseus (Matt Damon), who battles monsters, mythical creatures, and impossible challenges during his ten-year journey to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Along with the action, the story also explores the enduring bond between Odysseus and his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway).
Tom plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, and shares the screen with Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron and Samantha Morton. Interestingly, many of the actors reportedly signed on to the project before even knowing what roles they would be playing, simply because they wanted to work with Christopher Nolan.
Odyssey will arrive in theaters worldwide on July 17, 2026, and will be released in premium formats including IMAX 2D and 4DX. In India, this film has been passed by the Censor Board without any cuts and it has got an A certificate.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is also coming
Tom Holland is also preparing to get back into the Spider-Man suit with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film picks up four years after Spider-Man: No Way Home and follows Peter Parker as he tries to navigate everyday life while protecting New York in a world where no one remembers who he is.
Holland joins Zendaya as MJ, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk, Michael Mando as Scorpion and Trammell Tillman as DODC’s William “Bill” Metzger. Sadie Sink has also joined the film in an undisclosed role, with fans already busy speculating who she might play.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be released in Indian theaters on July 30, 2026, in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, before releasing worldwide on July 31.