Tom Holland, star of the new film Spider-Man: Homecoming, has spoken of his Irish roots and his love for Ireland.

The 21-year-old actor was born in Kingston upon Thames. His father, Dominic Holland, is a well-known comedian whose mother, Teresa Quigley, was a nurse from Ireland.

“My granny is from Tipperary,” he told RTÉ. “She’s got so many brothers and sisters.

“I’ve got a huge family back in Ireland, and I’ve made loads of movies in Ireland. I’ve made Pilgrimage – where I actually had to speak Gaelic – and I was shooting in Belfast as well.”

He added: “Dublin is one of my favourite cities. It’s an absolutely amazing place.”

At the #SpiderManHomecoming World Premiere with @TomHolland1996 pic.twitter.com/CBAMoFTOpr

— Spider-Man (@SpiderManMovie) June 29, 2017

In Pilgrimage, about a group of Irish pilgrims traveling to Rome, Holland plays a novice monk called Brother Diarmuid. The film was shot mainly in the west of Ireland and will be released in August.

Speaking of his role as the iconic Marvel Comics superhero, Holland said: “I feel like I’ve been playing Spider-Man my whole life. He’s a character I’ve been pretending to be in my bedroom since I was a kid – so I’ve been preparing for this forever, I think.”

Daily workout? Check. #SpiderManHomecoming pic.twitter.com/HCXfzbH0U5

— Spider-Man (@SpiderManMovie) June 5, 2017

“But to be 21 and to be given this opportunity, I’m so lucky man. I love the fact that Marvel were brave enough to give me this responsibility and I look forward to doing it in the future.

“I was a huge fan as a kid – an absolutely huge fan. And I literally love the movies, and I’m just so glad that I get to be a part of one.”

“This isn’t just a super hero movie,” he adds. “If you strip away everything Spider-Man then you have a good, well-rounded high school movie.”

Spider-Man: Homecoming arrives in theaters on July 7.

H/T The Irish Post