With a busy summer ahead promoting projects like The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Tom Holland is preparing to lace up his dance shoes for his upcoming role.
Nearly five years after announcing he would star in the Fred Astaire biopic, Holland recently gave an update on the Paul King–directed, Lee Hall–written film, describing the intense preparation—and the accompanying dread—of learning Astaire’s iconic dance steps.
“For me, the thrill of my work lies in the challenges,” he said on Good Morning America. “Fred Astaire is our next project, and once I wrap up these promotional tours, I’ll head straight back to the dance studio.”
“I’ve had my first few rehearsals lately,” Holland added. “They’ve sparked both excitement and a sense of dread, knowing how much work lies ahead to honor Fred Astaire’s legacy.”
Holland emphasized that he wants to perform all dance sequences himself, without doubles, and capture them in single takes—just as Astaire would have done.
In 2021, Holland announced he would play the legendary dancer and choreographer in the Amy Pascal–produced Sony picture, distinct from Amazon and Automatik’s Fred & Ginger, which stars Jamie Bell as Astaire and Margaret Qualley as Ginger Rogers in their on‑ and off‑screen romance.
The dance legacy on screen continues after Bell’s breakout role in the 2000 British film Billy Elliot, written by Hall. Holland launched his career portraying the title role in Billy Elliot: The Musical (after a brief stint as the protagonist’s best friend, Michael Caffrey) in London’s West End from 2008 to 2010.
