What is the story about?
Tom Holland's long-awaited Fred Astaire biopic is finally taking shape, and the Spider-Man star now has two major dance partners by his side. Margaret
Qualley and Sabrina Carpenter have joined Sony’s untitled musical biopic, with Qualley portraying Fred's older sister and original stage partner Adele Astaire, while Carpenter will play Ginger Rogers, his legendary Hollywood collaborator. Directed by Paul King, the film will explore the performers' careers on Broadway, the West End and the big screen, while shining a light on Adele’s contribution to the Fred legacy. For Holland, the role also marks a return to the dance roots that launched his career. The cast brings together three actors from vastly different generations to tell the story of one of Hollywood's most celebrated dancers and entertainers. Here's everything to know about their characters.
Margaret Qualley as Adele Astaire
Qualley will play Adele Astaire, Fred's older sister and original dance partner. Fred and his sister carved out a successful career together on Broadway and London's West End before Fred became one of the biggest musical stars in the cinema.
Director Paul King has said that Adele's story is especially important to the project because her role has been more or less erased from popular memory. Fred went on to become a permanent film icon, but there is no film footage of Adele dancing that still exists. "Fred and Adele's story was a story that I was so honoured to bring to the big screen," King told Deadline, calling the lack of footage of Adele a unique cinematic challenge.
King and Steven Levenson wrote the screenplay based on Kathleen Riley's biography The Astaires: Fred & Adele. Riley is also working as a story and script consultant.
Sabrina Carpenter as Ginger Rogers
Sabrina Carpenter is to play Ginger Rogers, the actress and dancer who partnered with Fred on screen to create one of the most famous partnerships in Hollywood history. The duo starred together in several classic musicals, including The Gay Divorcee, Top Hat and Swing Time. One of the defining screen partnerships of Hollywood's golden age, they had effortless chemistry and elaborate dance numbers.
One of the interesting aspects of the project is her casting opposite Holland, especially given the huge physical demands expected from a dance-centric film. Carpenter said the role is another big step in her blossoming acting career. She is already a two-time Grammy winner, an international hit singer and has starred in movies including Work It and The Hate U Give.
Tom Holland gearing up to dance as Fred Astaire
Tom Holland has been attached to play Fred Astaire for some five years, and the actor has already begun prepping for the physically demanding role. The casting is particularly fitting considering that Holland's own career began on the London stage. He starred in Billy Elliot the Musical as the lead from 2008 to 2010, which required a lot of dancing and physical acting.
Holland had previously said he wanted to do the Fred dances himself instead of heavily relying on doubles. He has also talked about wanting to shoot the routines in long, uninterrupted shots, mirroring how Fred's performances were filmed. That could make the dancing one of the big attractions of the film.
Paul King leads the project
The biopic is directed by Paul King, who is best known for directing the Paddington movies and Wonka. His participation suggests the film may be able to marry the spectacle of classic Hollywood musical numbers with a character-driven story about family, ambition and artistic collaboration. According to King, he could not conceive of bringing these figures to the screen without Holland, Qualley and Carpenter.
The film is produced by Amy Pascal and Rachel O'Connor for Pascal Pictures, Ben Holden and Josh Hyams for Lightbulb Pictures and Holland under his Billy17 banner. The Astaire family is also supporting the project. Fred Astaire's daughter Ava Astaire McKenzie has backed the film and her son Tyler McKenzie is a consultant and co-producer.
Fred Astaire's legacy
Fred Astaire's legacy goes beyond his work with Rogers. He appeared in over 30 film musicals during a seven-decade career and became synonymous with elegance, precision and innovation in dance. But the new movie seems to be aiming for more than just the familiar picture of Fred the movie star.
