Tom Holland is most famous for playing Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But he is perhaps most revered for dancing and lip-syncing to Rihanna's "Umbrella" on reality television.
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter published Wednesday, the "Crowded Room" star discussed his world-famous "Lip Sync Battle" performance and why he won't be giving any encores.
"I'm proud of it," the 27-year-old actor and producer told the Reporter.
"I like that it left a lasting impact. It was an amazing time. My life was changing before my eyes. 'Spider-Man' was coming out. I was on the up. I was getting offers and turning them down for the first time, which was really crazy. I was meeting producers and directors and going to L.A. by myself. I was finally at that stage where I could say, 'Can I bring my friends?' And they'd say, 'Yeah.'"
Even if you've never seen a single episode of "Lip Sync Battle" — the competition series hosted by LL Cool J and Chrissy Teigen in which celebrities challenge each other on the dance floor — you might have come across Holland's unforgettable rendition of "Umbrella" during one of the countless times it has resurfaced and gone viral on social media.
While promoting the first film in their Marvel trilogy, Holland and his "Spider-Man" co-star (and now girlfriend) Zendaya faced off for a 2017 installment of "Lip Sync Battle." To her credit, the Emmy-winning "Euphoria" star gave her all to her lip-sync performance of Bruno Mars' "24k Magic," but her smooth dance moves and confetti cannon were no match for what Holland had in store.
After opening with an homage to Gene Kelly's "Singin' in the Rain," Holland ditched his fedora and suit for latex short shorts, a halter top, fishnet tights and red lipstick. Then he channeled Rihanna while performing a complex, sensual dance routine — full of Spider-Man-level stunts and a soaking-wet death drop — to the tune of "Umbrella."
(It's worth noting that Holland has a professional dance background: The British performer played Billy Elliot on London's West End as a child.)
Asked recently by the Hollywood Reporter whether the number was intended to defy toxic masculinity, Holland replied, "No. Mm-mm."
"I don't give a f—," he said. "I've grown up in the most non-toxic-masculine environment possible. I didn't realize what I was doing was so forward-thinking. I was just like, 'Yeah, f— it, I'll put some fishnets on and dance in the rain. That'll be really fun. I don't care.'"
He added: "But you'd never catch me doing that now. Just because I don't want to do a f— TV show that I don't need to do. I'd rather go and play golf and live my little private life."
"Lip Sync Battle" is no longer on the air, and Holland has since moved on with his career — headlining back-to-back blockbuster movies as well as more intimate projects such as the war drama "Cherry" and the limited series "The Crowded Room."
"I've really worked hard in my career and I've really been calculated in deciding what it is I do and when I do it," he told the Reporter. "And for all the movies that I'm incredibly proud of, the Lip Sync Battle is what I get the most compliments for."
Sometime between their epic lip-sync battle showdown and their third "Spider-Man" film, Holland and Zendaya started dating — prompting fans to obsess on social media over the on- and off-screen couple's every move. Perhaps because of the heightened attention, the "Uncharted" star was somewhat guarded while discussing their relationship with the Hollywood Reporter.
"Our relationship is something that we are incredibly protective of and we want to keep as sacred as possible," he said. "We don't think that we owe it to anyone, it's our thing, and it has nothing to do with our careers."
