To Amsterdam in Holland I go and from where I write this post. Did you know that the Dutch are the tallest people on earth and so I imagine that my forebears must have fled Holland for England many years ago, for fear of being trampled on I imagine. I flew here (sorry, Greta but…
When I was a kid growing up, being a celebrity meant a whole different thing to what it means now. Back then it meant being famous. Being on TV as an actor or as a comedian or as a sportsman. Or on the silver screen as a movie star; perhaps still the ultimate rank of…
In 2010, I visited New York with Tom because he had been cast in a film called, The Impossible – and the story of Eclipsed was already fully formed in my mind whatever happened to my eldest son from here-on-in. As well as meeting the director and his co-stars, Ewan MacGregor and Naomi Watts (I…
On this day 23 years ago my world changed irrevocably – becoming a dad for the first time. And people say there is no such thing as a job for life anymore. And at this time, I had know idea that three more boys would join him – and with them my life would be…
At Heathrow with Sam and Harry – on our way to Atlanta to surprise Tom… Amidst all the announcements we are familiar with, suddenly I hear my name. I wait for a moment, all my senses attuned now and then I hear it again. “Would Mr Dominic Holland make his way to Gate…” Quickly I…
Surprises run long and deep in the Holland family. Tom becoming Spider-Man and indeed a movie star will probably remain the biggest surprise of all – eclipsing even the surprise of my own failing to reach the dizzy heights… I must write this in to a story one day! But on a smaller scale too,…
This year is my 25th anniversary – of when I started to play golf – and despite huge effort and much anguish, I remain hopeless. It is also our 25th wedding anniversary which means that Nikki has witnessed this entire sporting debacle. Over the years, she has seen how excited I am heading for the…
Today is a landmark day in the Holland household. A true first – or at least a first in over twenty years. I refer to the return of Patrick from his school tour of Sri Lanka – and the end of this kid free house that we have been for the last week. Not to…
Not easy making a living in the arts. Certainly, the odds are firmly stacked against with millions taking aim and so few hitting the target let alone the bullseye. We are familiar with statistics about how many actors are unemployed. Variously 90-95%. And I can attest to the reality that most authors can only dream…
Bit of a landmark for team Holland today with my twins, Sam and Harry marking 20 years on planet earth. This is Motorola and Ericsson to the anyone who remembers my old stand-up routine. “Nokia (Tom) – he’s hands free now… obviously.” I remember doing that routine so clearly at The Comedy Store and elsewhere…