You may recall that the show generated a lot of hype in the run-up to its release, partly thanks to the continuous stream of images of Tom filming the show on the streets of New York sporting a pretty funky ‘70s hairstyle.
However, the 10-part series failed to live up to the anticipation and was pretty poorly received by critics following the release of the first three episodes in June 2023.
Tom — who also served as an executive producer on the show — was quick to address the negative reception. He even talked about the show’s bad reviews while he was still promoting it, saying in one notably candid instance: “It’s no secret my show has been so horribly reviewed, but I’m here today to promote the show, and I’m still here.”
But, despite his resilience, the star made no secret of the fact that the making of the series took a major toll on his mental health. In fact, in June 2023, he told Extra that he was planning to “take a year off” from acting as a direct result of how “difficult” the show’s production was.
Fast forward to today, and Tom certainly stayed true to his word. The 28-year-old has not released another show or movie since The Crowded Room, and as he emerges from his break, he’s talked in more detail about his difficult experience on that particular project.
“There was quite a lot of animosity on that set,” he told Men’s Health in a new profile published on Jan. 2. “It was not a very harmonious place, and there was a lot of arguing and butting heads,” he continued, clarifying that the arguments weren’t simply over creative differences.
Discussing his year-long acting break, Tom said it was “just something [he] needed to do.” And it sounds like he’s gearing up for quite the comeback, having recently been cast in Christopher Nolan’s 2026 adaptation of The Odyssey, alongside Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and, most excitingly, his girlfriend, Zendaya.
