Tom Holland feels very confident in his tap dancing skills heading into the Fred Astaire biopic. The English actor is best known for playing Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has made him a household name in the five years since debuting as the character. His next performance will be in the highly anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home, which hits theaters worldwide on December 17.
In recent years, however, Holland has shown an interest in branching out from the superhero genre, and has been testing the waters to see if audiences will accept him in more adult roles. His two biggest swings thus far have been the psychological thriller The Devil All the Time and the crime drama Cherry, and while his acting was well-received, neither project particularly connected with viewers. He is set to remain in blockbuster territory with 2022's Uncharted, an adaptation of the popular video game, and he was recently announced to be playing the lead in a biopic about Astaire.
While many would understandably be nervous about portraying the Hollywood legend, Holland tells Variety he's confident enough in his dancing ability to take the role head-on. Referencing his acting beginnings on the West End as Billy Elliot, he says he's eager to get back into tap dancing, though it will take some work to learn Astaire's elegant style. In the end, however, Holland's confident the film will be a great one. Check out his full quote below:
I guess I'm going to have to, you know, dust off the old tap shoes, go back to Pineapple Dance Studios, and I'll start taking some tap lessons. You know, I am quite a good tap dancer, it's something I've done for a very, very long time, so it's something I'm sure I'll be able to pick up. Fred Astaire does have a very particular style - you know, Billy Elliot was very much a kind of, like, scuffy-boot kind of tap dancer, whereas he is very elegant and graceful, so I'll probably have to learn how to do that. But it's something I'm going to practice, something I'm very excited for, and I think it'll be a fantastic film.
Holland has spoken about his desire to move on from Spider-Man within five years, potentially sooner, but that transition could prove difficult if audiences are unwilling to accept him in other contexts. Given his history with musical theater, he has reason to be confident in his ability to play the screen icon, and this part could be what ushers in a new chapter of his career. While he has yet to explore his dancing ability on the big screen, his Lip Sync Battle performance of Rhianna's "Umbrella" has already enshrined his talent in popular culture.
However, Holland will likely face more challenges making this biopic than just getting the dancing right. After he and producer Amy Pascal announced their intention to make the project, some of Astaire's fans reacted angrily, referencing the actor's explicit desire to never be portrayed on film that he supposedly even wrote into his will. The screenwriter had to have received permission from his estate to pursue the topic, but it's likely Holland will need to work extra hard to overcome a certain degree of ill-will in many viewers.
Source: Variety