Tom Holland’s Leading Ladies Margaret Qualley and Sabrina Carpenter Join Fred Astaire Biopic

Tom Holland has spent much of this year demonstrating his ability to lead blockbusters beyond the Spider-Man suit, and his next project marks a significant departure from the franchise that catapulted him to fame. Following a summer highlighted by ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and ‘The Odyssey,’ the actor is now stepping into the shoes of one of Hollywood’s most iconic entertainers.

This long-anticipated passion project has been in development for years, with Holland first announcing his involvement back in 2021. What began as a distant aspiration has now made substantial progress, bringing the untitled Sony Pictures production closer to fruition.

Margaret Qualley and Sabrina Carpenter have officially joined Holland in the film, completing the principal cast for Sony’s eagerly awaited Fred Astaire biopic. Qualley will portray Adele Astaire, Fred’s older sister and original dance partner, while Carpenter takes on the role of Ginger Rogers, the actress whose on-screen collaboration with Astaire produced some of the most memorable musical sequences of the 1930s.

Director Paul King, known for ‘Paddington’ and ‘Wonka,’ expressed his excitement about bringing this trio together for such a challenging project. “I am thrilled and honored to have been entrusted with telling the story of Fred Astaire and his original dance partner — his big sister Adele — to the big screen,” King said in a statement. “Fred left a timeless legacy of dance on film — most famously in his collaborations with Ginger Rogers — while Adele’s work has been lost to history; indeed, no footage of her dancing survives. The cinematic challenge of bringing to life these icons of the twentieth century is one that I could not imagine without Tom Holland, Margaret Qualley and Sabrina Carpenter by my side.”

The film is based on Kathleen Riley’s biography ‘The Astaires: Fred & Adele,’ with King co-writing the screenplay alongside Steven Levenson. Riley herself is serving as a script and story consultant on the project, providing historical context to a narrative that predates Astaire’s Hollywood fame.

This focus on Adele Astaire represents a significant shift from the typical remembrance of Fred Astaire’s legacy. Before he became one of cinema’s defining musical stars alongside Ginger Rogers, Fred and Adele performed together as a vaudeville act before achieving major stardom on Broadway and London’s West End. Adele’s stage career ended when she left show business, and since no footage of her dancing exists today, King’s film aims to recreate a piece of dance history that survives mainly through written accounts.

Casting Qualley in that role adds another period performance to her résumé, which already includes ‘Fosse/Verdon,’ making her a fitting choice for a project centered around recreating a lost era of stage and screen. Carpenter, on the other hand, brings her musical background to the role of Ginger Rogers, having increasingly embraced classic Hollywood-inspired visuals throughout her music career, alongside earlier acting roles in ‘The Hate U Give’ and ‘Work It.’

The production has also garnered public support from Fred Astaire’s daughter, Ava Astaire McKenzie, whose son Tyler McKenzie is serving as a consultant and co-producer on the film. “I’m delighted to support this endeavor to celebrate the extraordinary careers and enduring legacy of my father and aunt, who were among the biggest musical stars of their era,” Astaire McKenzie stated.

This family backing carries added significance given past tensions over biographical portrayals of Astaire, whose widow Robyn Astaire had previously opposed dramatized representations of his life. Amy Pascal is producing the film alongside Rachel O’Connor, with Holland also producing through his own Billy17 banner.

With its two key female leads now confirmed and a script rooted in Riley’s biography, Sony’s Fred Astaire project appears poised to become one of the more ambitious awards-season contenders on the studio’s upcoming slate.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.