Tom Holland is gearing up for one of the biggest roles of his career. Back in 2021, the actor revealed that he was in talks to portray legendary dancer and actor Fred Astaire in an upcoming biopic. Much to his delight, he ultimately landed the coveted role. 

Moreover, the film will reunite Holland with Sony executive Amy Pascal, who has produced the Spider-Man franchise. But transforming into the Hollywood icon who forever changed the musical scene in Hollywood is not easy. Understandably, Holland feels the weight of portraying such a talented man. 

And ahead of filming, he has been candid about the fear and pressure that come with playing the role of Fred Astaire.

While this is undeniably an exciting opportunity for Tom Holland, taking on the role of Fred Astaire also comes with immense pressure. The actor has admitted that it was both thrilled and nervous about portraying one of Hollywood's greatest entertainers. Holland has already begun rehearsals and acknowledged the tremendous amount of hard work and preparation the role demands.

"It both filled me with excitement and absolute dread," Holland told GMA's George Stephanopoulos, "because I’ve got so much work to do to try and do Fred proud."

After all, the film is based on the life of Fred Astaire, one of Hollywood's most celebrated performers. Astaire began his career as a child entertainer before becoming a legendary actor, dancer, singer, choreographer, and television presenter. Over the years, he worked in classics such as Top Hat, Funny Face, and The Towering Inferno. 

Even though the role is undeniably daunting, Holland is not shying away from the challenge, as is clear by his statement to Good Morning America. During the conversatio, he said he loves taking on challenging projects. He further added that he is eager to get back into rehearsals, which were temporarily paused while he promoted his recent films, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey.

Who Is Fred Astaire? Meet the Icon Whose Life Inspired Tom Holland’s Next Film

It also appears that working with Nolan has further inspired Holland's approach to his work.

During his conversation with Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos, Tom Holland opened up about the preparation required for the Fred Astaire biopic. He revealed that he hopes to avoid using body doubles wherever possible. He has been rehearsing extensively and wants to perform as many of the dance scenes himself. 

"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," he said.

A similar commitment is seen in the filmmaking approach of Christopher Nolan, who is known for relying on practical effects and minimizing CGI whenever possible. Holland, who stars in Nolan's The Odyssey, has spoken admiringly of the director's work and use of practical effects. While the two projects are very different, Holland appears to share Nolan's dedication, as he chooses to rely on his own performance.

Tom Holland Is Trading Web-Slinging for Tap Dancing—and He’s Not Using a Double

Did you know Tom Holland's opinion on the biopic and if it had any consequences? Let us know in the comments.