Florence Pugh Revealed That Tom Holland Is The Reason She Appears In 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'—And We Love To See It

Florence Pugh has built a career on scene-stealing performances, but her latest Marvel appearance came with one particularly flattering endorsement: Spider-Man himself.

While promoting her latest historical drama, East of Eden, Pugh stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she was asked about her surprise appearance as Yelena Belova in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

And for anyone who doesn’t mind a spoiler, Pugh appears in a hilarious bathhouse scene, where Spider-Man visits Yelena’s unconventional “office” looking for information.

Pugh revealed who orchestrated the surprise cameo:

“Oh, you know, this all happened because of Tom…”

That’s right. Back in 2021, while speaking with Entertainment Tonight at the Spider-Man: No Way Home premiere, Holland was given some pretty big names to choose from for his next Marvel team-up, including Angelina Jolie and Harry Styles. Instead, Holland had someone else in mind: Pugh.

The Oscar-nominated Pugh took Fallon back to where it all began:

“Years ago, when I just kind of started my relationship with Marvel and Black Widow had come out, my Yelena wasn’t as obviously big as all of the other big superheroes. He, on the red carpet of his previous movie, when someone said, ‘Who do you want to be in the next movie with? Do you want to be with Thor?’ I don’t remember the superheroes, but they were all massive superheroes…”

Holland and Pugh had yet to work together, but by then, Pugh had made her MCU debut in 2021’s Black Widow, stealing scenes as Yelena Belova, the younger sister of Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff and eventual successor to the Black Widow mantle.

Clearly, Pugh’s MCU debut left an impression on Holland:

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Pugh shared what came next:

“Fans were then so excited about the idea of it, and that started the ball rolling.”

And roll it did. Flash forward five years, and Holland’s wish became a $2.49 billion reality. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now the third highest-grossing movie of all time, with more than $950 million earned domestically.

For Aperol spritzes, Marvel secrets, and more—you can watch Pugh’s full interview here:

Florence Pugh Says Tom Holland Helped Her Land Her Spider-Man: Brand New Day Role | The Tonight ShowThe Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Spidey may not be finished at the box office, either. A theatrical re-release with extra footage is reportedly in the works, including a previously cut scene featuring Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple, though no date has been announced.

Thanks to Holland, Yelena squeezed in one more Marvel appearance before all hell presumably breaks loose in Avengers: Doomsday.

Marvel fans had this to say:

Pugh’s latest project takes her far outside the MCU. The seven-episode Netflix limited series East of Eden adapts John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel, with Pugh starring as Cathy Ames in the multigenerational saga set in California’s Salinas Valley.

You can watch the trailer here:

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Pugh will then return as Princess Irulan in Dune: Part Three and as Yelena in Avengers: Doomsday, both arriving December 18.

As for another Pugh and Holland reunion? Nothing is confirmed, but after Holland helped make their first Marvel crossover happen, perhaps they’ll find their way back to the same screen someday—with or without the bathhouse, belly buttons, and/or superhero suits.