When Tom Holland’s 'Umbrella' performance shocked everyone – including Zendaya
23 July 2025, 17:18
Before he was a Marvel hero, he was a dancing sensation—inside the unforgettable moment that took the internet by storm.
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While Tom Holland is best known globally as Marvel’s friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, one of his most iconic and talked-about performances came not from a blockbuster film, but from a lip-sync show.
In 2017, amidst the whirlwind press tour for Spider-Man: Homecoming, the 20-year-old actor stunned the world with an unforgettable appearance on the American TV show Lip Sync Battle.
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What began as a playful tribute to Gene Kelly evolved into a moment of pure pop culture legend.
The performance opens innocently: Tom appears onstage dressed in a classic grey suit and tie, twirling an umbrella as he delivers a charming rendition of 'Singin’ in the Rain'.
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He shuffles across the stage in tap-dance rhythm, smiling cheekily at the crowd, giving only a glimmer of what’s to come.
Then, everything changes. The music cuts. The lights drop. A heavy bass thunders in.
Suddenly, Rihanna’s 'Umbrella' blares through the speakers—and Tom reemerges in a completely transformed look: black PVC corset, fishnet stockings, thigh-high boots, and a sharp black bob wig.
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The crowd roars, and in a jaw-dropping display of confidence and choreography, he launches into a high-energy routine under pouring artificial rain.
Backed by dancers, he struts, flips, body-rolls, and hits every beat with razor precision. He slides across the stage on his knees, executes perfectly timed acrobatics, and performs with theatrical flair that recalls both his West End dance training and superhero-level agility.
By the time he strikes his final pose, the audience is on its feet, his Lip Sync Battle opponent and future fiancé, Zendaya, watches from the wings, laughing hysterically and visibly stunned.
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Within hours, the clip was circulating across the internet, turning Holland into a meme – and a viral sensation.
What may have surprised many viewers at the time is that Holland wasn’t new to the stage—before becoming Spider-Man, he trained as a dancer from a young age and starred in the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical, where he honed the exact skills that made his Lip Sync Battle performance so electric.
Lip Sync Battle - Tom Holland
Tom's performance has been hailed for its playful challenge to gender norms and its fearless self-expression.
"I’m proud of it," he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2013. "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."
Askled about whether the dance was a statement about masculinity, Tom revealed: “I don’t give a f***.
"I’ve grown up in the most non-toxic-masculine environment possible. I didn’t realise 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."
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Reflecting on the moment years later, Holland said it came at a key turning point in his career. "I’ve really worked hard and been calculated in deciding what I do and when," he said.
"And for all the movies I’m incredibly proud of, Lip Sync Battle is what I get the most compliments for."
Despite his pride, Holland is candid about how his priorities have changed. "You’d never catch me doing that now,” he added. "I’d rather go and play golf and live my little private life."
Even so, that five-minute performance remains one of the most iconic moments of his career – and for fans around the world, it’s a reminder of the joy that happens when a star takes a risk… and absolutely nails it.
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