Sabrina Carpenter and Margaret Qualley are joining Tom Holland in Sony Pictures’ untitled biopic about legendary dancer and actor Fred Astaire. Holland will portray Astaire, with Qualley playing his older sister and original dance partner, Adele Astaire, and Carpenter portraying Ginger Rogers, Astaire’s celebrated screen and dance partner.
The film will be directed by Paul King, the filmmaker behind “Paddington” and “Wonka,” who co-wrote the screenplay with Steven Levenson. The story is based on Kathleen Riley’s book “The Astaires: Fred & Adele,” with Riley serving as a story and script consultant. Fred and Adele began their careers together on Broadway and in London’s West End before Fred pursued a Hollywood career, where his partnership with Rogers became one of the most recognized dance collaborations in film history.
King said he was honored to bring the story of Fred and Adele to the screen, noting that Astaire’s film legacy is well documented while Adele’s dancing has largely disappeared from the historical record. “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 project has been in development since Holland first announced his involvement in 2021. In July, Holland said he had begun dance rehearsals and intended to perform the film’s choreography himself rather than use doubles, with the goal of capturing the routines in single takes. “I did my first few rehearsals recently, and it both filled me with excitement and absolute dread because I’ve got so much work to do to try and do Fred proud,” Holland told “Good Morning America.”
Amy Pascal and Rachel O’Connor are producing for Pascal Pictures, while Holland is producing through Billy17 alongside Ben Holden and Josh Hyams for Lightbulb Pictures. Fred Astaire’s daughter, Ava Astaire McKenzie, supports the production, and her son, Tyler McKenzie, is serving as a consultant and co-producer. Production is expected to begin in early 2027.
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