Tom Holland Confirms He's Playing Fred Astaire In An Upcoming Biopic
With the looming release of Sony and Marvel Studios' multiverse-spanning sequel "Spider-Man: No Way Home" on December 17, Spidey star Tom Holland is doing the usual publicity rounds and discussing upcoming projects, which include the video game adaptation "Uncharted" and the multiple personality drama "The Crowded Room." While producer Amy Pascal previously teased to GQ that she wanted Holland to play big screen hoofer and Hollywood legend Fred Astaire in a forthcoming biopic, the 25-year-old star has now confirmed as much himself during a press event (via Variety):
"The script came in a week ago. I haven't read it yet; they haven't given it to me. She FaceTimed me earlier. I was in the bath. And we had a lovely FaceTime, but I will be playing Fred Astaire."
Fans of the show "Lip Sync Battle" will not be surprised at the news of Holland wanting to portray legendary dancer Astaire, since four years ago he appeared on that show to do a rousing version of Rihanna's "Umbrella" in drag. Holland actually began his career in 2008 dancing on the London stage, playing the lead in the musical version of "Billy Elliot." He even earned the nickname "Sick Note" during production, as he told GQ:
"I got the nickname Sick Note, which frustrates me to my core, even today. I was too young to do that show. I was incredibly underdeveloped as a kid, and I would get sick, or I would be tired, or I would get injured, and I'd need to take a break because you're doing three shows a week, rehearsing every single day. Now as an actor I push through everything, because I'm not going to be Sick Note."
A Rival Astaire Biopic
Alongside Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire is considered to be one of the greatest dancers in movie history, and like Holland also did some early work on the London stage. Paired with frequent onscreen dance partner Ginger Rogers, Astaire lit up the screen for nearly five decades in such classic fare as "Top Hat," "Swing Time," "Holiday Inn" and "Funny Face," all the way up to his final musical, Francis Coppola's 1968 "Finian's Rainbow."
Ironically, the original movie Billy Elliot — Jamie Bell — will be also be portraying Astaire in a rival biopic focused on the onscreen partnership between he and Rogers titled "Fred & Ginger," co-starring Margaret Qualley. To be directed by "The End of the F***ing World" creator Jonathan Entwistle, "Fred & Ginger" is said to focus on the untold love story between the famous dancing pair. As to which film will make it onscreen first, that is the real dance challenge.