Tom Holland is gearing up for one of the most demanding chapters of his career. Following a whirlwind summer packed with major blockbusters—including promotional tours for The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day—the British actor is officially turning his focus back to the long-awaited Fred Astaire biographical film.
First announced nearly five years ago, the Sony Pictures project is moving forward under the direction of Paul King (Paddington, Wonka), with a script penned by Tony Award-winning writer Steven Levenson (Dear Evan Hansen). However, for Holland, stepping into the legendary performer’s tap shoes brings as much anxiety as it does excitement.
"Excitement and Absolute Dread": Returning to the Dance Studio
During a recent appearance on Good Morning America, Holland opened up about the daunting task of portraying one of Hollywood's greatest dance icons. The actor revealed that he has already begun preliminary rehearsals, an experience he described as both thrilling and terrifying.
"For me, what I love about my job is the challenges," Holland shared. "We have Fred Astaire next, is what we’re planning on doing. And as soon as I finish with these tours, I’m diving back into the dance studio."
Acknowledging the monumental effort required to match Astaire's effortless grace, Holland admitted that the early training sessions served as a wake-up call.
"I did my first few rehearsals recently, and it both filled me with excitement and absolute dread because I’ve got so much work to do to try and do Fred proud," he added.
Honouring the Legacy: No Body Doubles, No Quick Cuts
Astaire was famed for his insistence on filming dance sequences in single, unbroken takes—a visual style that highlighted the performer's raw athleticism and precision rather than relying on clever camera edits. Holland intends to honor that very tradition.
Rather than relying on body doubles or modern editing tricks, the 30-year-old actor wants to perform every routine himself and shoot the musical sequences as long "oners" (continuous single takes).
"How he would have done it," Holland emphasized, noting his desire to capture the authentic spirit of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Executing uninterrupted dance sequences on camera leaves zero margin for error. For an actor, it requires months of intense physical conditioning, precise choreography, and flawless execution under high-pressure filming environments.
A Full-Circle Moment: From Billy Elliot to Hollywood Royalty
While playing Fred Astaire presents a massive technical hurdle, physical performance is far from uncharted territory for Holland. Long before he donned the Spider-Man suit, Holland launched his acting career on the London stage in Billy Elliot: The Musical.
Starting in 2008 as Michael Caffrey before taking on the lead role of Billy Elliot through 2010, Holland built a solid foundation in dance and gymnastics at a young age. That West End background gave him the rhythmic discipline and physical awareness that he plans to channel into this biographical role.
Interestingly, Holland isn't the only former Billy Elliot star tackling Astaire's legacy. Jamie Bell, who famously originated the role of Billy Elliot in the iconic 2000 feature film, is set to portray Astaire in a separate Amazon/Automatik project titled Fred & Ginger. Co-starring Margaret Qualley as Ginger Rogers, that film focuses specifically on the legendary screen duo's dynamic partnership on and off the camera.
While Bell's project zeroes in on the Astaire-Rogers romantic and professional dynamic, the Amy Pascal-produced Sony film starring Holland promises a broader look at Astaire's individual life and artistic trajectory.
What Lies Ahead for the Biopic?
With Holland wrapping up his promotional commitments for his current slate of films, full-time production on the Astaire project is expected to ramp up as soon as pre-production rehearsals conclude. Given Holland's commitment to performing every routine without doubles or camera cuts, fans can expect an extended training period before cameras officially roll.
For Holland, the project represents a passion-driven return to his performing arts roots. By committing to single-take dance sequences, he isn't just taking on a role—he is attempting to recreate a lost art form from classical cinema, promising audiences an authentic and visually breathtaking tribute to one of history's greatest performers.
Photo:Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
