'I Was Petrified': Tom Holland opens up about high-stakes 'Fred Astaire' rehearsal

Tom Holland may be returning to his roots as a dancer, but that didn't stop him from feeling nervous ahead of his first rehearsal for his upcoming Fred Astaire film.

Speaking on the Good Hang with Amy Poehler podcast, the actor revealed that he recently attended his first dance rehearsal for the highly anticipated project and was surprised by how anxious he felt.

Holland explained that he returned to Pineapple Dance Studios in London, where he trained as a child while starring in Billy Elliot on the West End. Despite years of experience in the entertainment industry, he admitted the rehearsal left him feeling "petrified."

The actor recalled reassuring director Paul King that he could handle the demanding dance sequences, joking that he wasn't just an actor who could dance occasionally but a "dancer dancer" with a professional stage background.

However, after putting on tap shoes for the first time in 15 years and stepping into a bare rehearsal room, reality quickly set in. Asked to demonstrate his skills, Holland pulled up music from Billy Elliot and began performing.

To his surprise, the choreography and memories came rushing back almost instantly.

"The music started and then it all started coming back," Holland shared, explaining that he could vividly picture the stage lights and audience from his childhood performances.

Although he laughed that his former Billy Elliot choreographers would probably have had plenty of notes about his performance, the rehearsal ultimately boosted his confidence about the project.

Holland admitted he had been worried about the scale of the Fred Astaire movie and the amount of preparation it would require. But after revisiting his dance background, many of those concerns disappeared.

The Spider-Man star also reflected on what he considers one of his biggest career regrets—walking away from dance after finishing Billy Elliot. He said he continued dancing casually over the years but never returned to formal training.

Now, the opportunity to portray one of Hollywood's most iconic dancers has given him the chance to rediscover a skill he once loved. Holland said he is excited to start from scratch, train again, and fully immerse himself in the demanding role.