Celebrities sometimes have unexpected inspirations. Tom Holland is known for his acting in action movies. But he started with a love for dance. Holland, 29, revealed the pop icon that inspired him to entertain.
Tom Holland Says Janet Jackson Is Integral to His Success
His parents sent him and his siblings to dancing classes, which made him appreciate the art form. Holland later danced on the West End in Billy Elliot the Musical. But it wasn’t theatre music that got him started.
“I loveJanet Jackson so, so much,” he said on Good Hang with Amy Poehler. He described her as “electric” and talked about her importance to him.
“To be perfectly honest with you, if you ask me to list five people who have been integral in the success of my career she would be one of them,” he told the podcast host. Holland’s love for her and his “natural rhythm” is what inspired his parents to put him in classes, which led to him getting an agent and the rest of his career. Holland hasn’t met Jackson.
Related: Why Tom Holland Refuses and Is ‘Petrified’ to Do ‘Saturday Night Live’
Most people know Holland for portraying Peter Parker in Marvel movies. So they were shocked by his “Umbrella” lip sync battle in 2017 against Zendaya. Everything from his dance moves to his wearing fishnets made the episode go viral.
“It’s ridiculous,” Holland told Gordon Ramsay. “Honestly, of all the pieces of work I’ve done, that I’ve put my heart and soul into—blood, sweat and tears—the Lip Sync Battle is the thing that everyone brings up. It’s never Spider-Man, it’s never any of my other movies. It’s always Lip Sync Battle.”
The actor’s dance moves will be showcased in a future Fred Astaire biopic. The movie is currently in pre-production.
Related: Nicolas Cage Denies Rumored Inspiration for His Son’s Name
This story was originally published by Parade on Jun 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Celebs section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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