Tom Holland is "very excited" about playing Fred Astaire, and claims he is already "quite a good tap dancer".
Tom Holland is excited about playing Fred Astaire in a new movie
The 25-year-old actor recently confirmed he will portray the legendary dancer, actor and singer in a new Amy Pascal-produced film for Sony, and while he is going to head back to London's Pineapple Dance Studios to "start taking tap lessons", he already has some good experience.
He said: "I’m 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."
Holland tapped when he starred in 'Billy Elliot the Musical' on London's West End from 2008 to 2010, but he admits Astaire was a far more "elegant and graceful" dancer.
He added to Variety: "Fred Astaire does have a very particular style.
'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 gonna practice, something I’m very excited for and I think it will be a fantastic film."
Producer Pascal recently suggested she wanted Holland to play Astaire in the project, in addition to another trilogy of 'Spider-Man' films.
At an event to promote 'Spider-Man: No Way Home', he said: "The script came in a week ago. I haven't read it yet; they haven't given it to me."
Holland also revealed he had been in contact with Pascal about playing the part.
He joked: "She FaceTimed me earlier. I was in the bath. And we had a lovely FaceTime, but I will be playing Fred Astaire."
Astaire is widely considered to be the greatest dancer in film history. He starred in more than 30 movie musicals and is remembered for his partnership with Ginger Rogers.
Holland's movie is not the only Fred Astaire project currently in the works, as Jamie Bell - who played the role of Billy Elliot in the 2000 film - will portray the dancer, opposite Margaret Qualley as Rogers in a new movie for Amazon Studios.
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