Sabrina Carpenter is heading back to the big screen with a role that combines acting with her performance background.
The 27-year-old singer and actress will reportedly portray Ginger Rogers in an upcoming Fred Astaire biopic starring Tom Holland, according to Deadline and People.
Carpenter joins Holland and Margaret Qualley in the still-untitled film. Holland will portray Astaire, while Qualley will play his sister and first major dance partner, Adele Astaire.
Paul King, whose credits include “Paddington” and “Wonka,” will direct the project.
Sabrina Carpenter Will Portray Ginger Rogers
Carpenter’s role places her at the center of one of old Hollywood’s most famous dancing partnerships.
Rogers became Astaire’s longtime onscreen dance partner beginning with 1933’s “Flying Down to Rio.” The pair appeared in nine movies together between 1933 and 1939 before reuniting for 1949’s “The Barkleys of Broadway.”
The project will also mark a major return to acting for Carpenter, who first built her career through Disney productions.
She starred as Maya Hart on “Girl Meets World” and appeared in projects including “Austin & Ally.” Carpenter later took on roles in movies including “Tall Girl,” “Clouds” and “Emergency.”
In recent years, her music career has taken center stage, with songs including “Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” “Taste” and “Manchild.”
Carpenter has also frequently incorporated retro and old Hollywood-inspired imagery into her music and performances, making her upcoming portrayal of Rogers another connection to that aesthetic.
GettyTom Holland Is Preparing to Play Fred Astaire
Holland’s casting as Astaire was originally announced in 2021.
The role will bring the “Spider-Man” actor back to his dance roots. Before becoming a movie star, Holland played the title role in “Billy Elliot” on London’s West End from 2008 to 2010.
He revealed during a July appearance on “Good Morning America” that he had already started rehearsing for the Astaire project.
“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 said.
Holland also said he hopes to perform the elaborate dance sequences himself rather than rely on stunt performers. He wants the sequences filmed in one shot, reflecting how Astaire’s dances would have been captured during the height of his career.
The upcoming movie will be based on Kathleen Riley’s “The Astaires: Fred & Adele,” with King and Steven Levenson writing the script.
Astaire’s daughter, Ava Astaire McKenzie, has also expressed support for the project, saying she was “delighted” to support an effort celebrating the careers and legacy of her father and aunt.
Amy Pascal and Rachel O’Connor will produce the film. A release date has not yet been announced.
The project gives Carpenter another opportunity to combine the acting and musical skills that helped launch her career. While additional details about the production remain limited, her casting alongside Holland and Qualley adds another major Hollywood project to her increasingly busy schedule as well.
