Tom Holland is reflecting on one of the most memorable moments of his career—the infamous Lip Sync Battle performance from 2017.
In a recent cooking segment with Gordon Ramsay on July 31, Holland shared some behind-the-scenes details about his viral appearance, including the now-iconic fishnet stockings he wore during the performance.
The Story Behind the Fishnets
When Ramsay asked Holland if the fishnets he wore during his Lip Sync Battle performance were his mother’s, Holland replied with a laugh, “They were my granny’s, actually.” The actor went on to reminisce about the performance, which featured him dancing to Rihanna’s hit song Umbrella.
Holland’s choice of costume, paired with his unexpected dance moves, became one of the most talked-about moments of the show.
A ‘Breezy’ Start Turned into a Showstopper
Holland reflected on the planning process for his performance, explaining that he and Zendaya, his co-star in Spider-Man: Homecoming at the time, had initially agreed to keep their routines simple. “We were chatting at the time about what we were gonna do, and we had agreed that we would take it easy,” he explained.
“That was the agreement, that it was like, ‘I’m not gonna do anything crazy, you’re not gonna do anything crazy, we’re just gonna keep it nice and easy breezy.'”
However, the performance quickly escalated as the creative team came up with ideas, including the use of a rain machine for dramatic effect. “When I was working with the creative team, they kind of pitched this ‘Umbrella’ thing, and as we were rehearsing, it got crazier and crazier,” Holland said.
“And then I was like, ‘F— it, I wanna wear fishnets and do this, and I want a wig and a quick-change.’”
His Dad’s Initial Concern
Holland also opened up about the reaction of his father, director Dominic Holland, to the performance idea. At the time, his father was concerned about the potential impact of becoming too famous too quickly. “When I told my dad, he was like, ‘Son, I don’t think that’s a good idea.
I don’t think you should do that,'” Holland explained. “I think he was just, at that time in my career, very worried about me becoming too famous too quickly. So he was really keen for me to not do extra TV shows that I didn’t have to do to try and maintain that part of my childhood.”
Despite his dad’s reservations, Holland went ahead with the performance, which would go on to become one of the most memorable Lip Sync Battle moments ever.
A Viral Hit That ‘Haunts’ Holland
Looking back, Holland finds it “ridiculous” that his Lip Sync Battle performance continues to be one of the most frequently mentioned parts of his career. “Honestly, of all the pieces of work I’ve done, that I’ve put my heart and soul into, blood, sweat, and tears, Lip Sync Battle is the thing that everyone brings up,” Holland laughed.
“It’s never Spider-Man, it’s never any of my other movies, it’s always Lip Sync Battle. It haunts me.”
Despite his mixed feelings, the performance remains a fan favorite, and it continues to be a highlight of his career—one that fans still remember fondly.
Holland’s Future Projects
While Lip Sync Battle may remain a major talking point, Holland is moving forward with his career. He recently returned to his role as Spider-Man for Marvel’s upcoming film Spider-Man: Brand New Day, set to release on July 31, 2026.
