Additional Coverage:
Sony Pictures has finalized the cast for the highly anticipated Fred Astaire biopic starring Tom Holland. Joining Holland are Margaret Qualley and Sabrina Carpenter in pivotal roles.
Holland, who first announced his involvement nearly five years ago, will portray Astaire himself. Qualley, a Golden Globe nominee, will play Adele Astaire, Fred’s sister and original dance partner, while Carpenter, a two-time Grammy winner, takes on the role of Ginger Rogers, Astaire’s iconic on-screen partner.
The film is directed by Paul King, who co-wrote the screenplay with Steven Levenson. The story is adapted from Kathleen Riley’s book The Astaires: Fred & Adele.
Producing the project are Amy Pascal and Rachel O’Connor for Pascal Pictures, alongside Holland through his Billy17 banner. King highlighted the challenge of bringing Adele Astaire to life on screen, given the lack of surviving footage of her dancing-a challenge he credits the cast with overcoming.
The project also has the support of Astaire’s family, with his daughter Ava Astaire McKenzie backing the film and her son Tyler serving as consultant and co-producer.
Margaret Qualley, a classically trained dancer known for The Dog Stars and her recent Golden Globe-nominated performance in The Substance, brings a strong dance background to the role. Sabrina Carpenter, primarily recognized for her music career, recently earned her first Emmy nomination for her work on The Muppet Show. Holland, who has a history in dance himself-having starred in Billy Elliot The Musical on London’s West End from 2008 to 2010-has expressed a desire to film Astaire’s dance sequences in long, continuous takes, honoring the style Astaire himself preferred.
This project aligns with a banner year for Holland, who currently stars in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, a film that has grossed over $2 billion worldwide, and The Odyssey, which has earned more than $1.72 billion. Director Paul King, fresh off his success with Wonka and the Paddington films-which together have amassed nearly $500 million globally-is also working on a sequel to Wonka. No release date has been announced yet for the untitled Astaire biopic.