Tom Holland Opens Up About His Iconic Rihanna Lip Sync Battle Performance: The Unexpected Career Highlight

Nearly eight years after captivating audiences with a daring lip sync performance to Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” MCU star Tom Holland is finally sharing fresh insights about that unforgettable moment — a performance that surprisingly remains one of the most talked-about highlights of his career.

Back in 2017, Holland appeared on the hit reality competition show Lip Sync Battle, where celebrities face off by lip-syncing to popular songs. Holland’s opponent that night? None other than Zendaya, his now-fiancé and fellow star. What made the showdown particularly memorable was Holland’s bold choice to perform in drag, complete with fishnets, a wig, and a rain machine — a theatrical flair he revealed was entirely his own idea.

During a candid chat on Gordon Ramsay’s talk show Scrambled, Holland recounted how he kept his dance skills under wraps until that performance. “What was really great about that is people didn’t know that I could dance. I kept that quiet, I don’t know why. And I came out with a bang,” Holland explained. The rain machine added dramatic effect, but it was his decision to wear fishnets and go all-out with a quick-change that made the routine truly iconic.

Interestingly, Holland revealed that his father, Dominic Holland, initially advised against the stunt. “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,” Tom said. Dominic worried about his son becoming too famous too fast and wanted to protect his early career trajectory.

Despite his father’s concerns, Holland’s lip sync battle remains a defining moment. “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. It haunts me,” he confessed with a mix of amusement and surprise.

The Lip Sync Battle series, which aired from 2015 to 2019 on the Paramount Network, pitted two celebrities each week against one another in two lip sync rounds, with the audience voting for the winner. Holland’s performance combined Rihanna’s “Umbrella” with a mashup of Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain,” showing off his impressive dance chops.

Holland’s background as a dancer is well-known; he starred as the titular character in Billy Elliot the Musical on the West End early in his career and recently returned to the stage in Romeo and Juliet in 2024. His enthusiasm for dance shown during the Lip Sync Battle hints he may pursue more dance roles going forward.

Fans still rave about Holland’s viral “Umbrella” performance, often citing it as one of the best lip sync acts of all time — on par with, or even surpassing, some performances from shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race. It’s a testament to Holland’s charisma, creativity, and fearlessness.

While Holland’s Hollywood roles, including playing Spider-Man, have brought him global fame, it’s clear that this playful and spirited Lip Sync Battle moment holds a special place in fans’ hearts — and in his own story. Whether or not he returns to the dance floor for similar performances, viewers will continue to enjoy the legacy of that iconic night when Tom Holland truly stole the show.

Tom Holland’s “Umbrella” lip sync battle remains a beloved, viral sensation that shows off a different side of the actor — one full of charm, humor, and unexpected talent.