Tom Holland Feels ‘Absolute Dread’ Taking On Fred Astaire in New Biopic
In a new interview, Tom Holland called playing Fred Astaire a proper high-wire act with precious little margin for error.
Rehearsals are already underway for Tom Holland ’s untitled Fred Astaire biopic, and he’s treating the prep like a marathon: long days in the studio, tap drills, and a plan to stage the big numbers as extended takes. The goal, he says, is to lean on his own feet instead of a body double — the way Astaire famously did.
“It both filled me with excitement and absolute dread, because I’ve got so much work to do to try and do Fred proud.”
Holland first revealed in 2021 that he was in talks to play the dance legend and later confirmed he’d landed the role. The film is set up at Sony and will reunite him with producer Amy Pascal, who shepherded his Spider- Man run. He’s already been putting in rehearsal time and said on Good Morning America he’s eager to get back into the studio after briefly pausing for press obligations on other projects.
Why Astaire still looms large
Astaire started performing as a kid and went on to redefine movie musicals with partner Ginger Rogers and beyond. A few of the touchstones:
- Top Hat — the epitome of his ballroom grace with Rogers
- Funny Face — pairing him with Audrey Hepburn in Paris-set glamour
- The Towering Inferno — a late-career dramatic turn that earned him an Oscar nomination
Holland said he’s leaning into that legacy by pushing for old-school technique over movie magic.
“I have a desire to use no doubles, to do all of the dancing, to shoot those dances in one shot, how he would have done it.”