It’s been almost a decade. Nine years, to be exact. Yet, if you open YouTube or TikTok today, there’s a high chance you’ll see a guy in a brunette bob and fishnets absolutely destroying a stage in a rain machine.
Honestly, the lip sync tom holland delivered back in 2017 has become more than just a TV segment. It’s a cultural artifact.
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Most people know the broad strokes. Tom Holland, the guy who plays Spider-Man, went on Lip Sync Battle to face off against his now-fiancée Zendaya. He started with a classy, old-school rendition of "Singin' in the Rain." Then, the beat dropped. The suit came off. Out came the Rihanna tribute.
The internet basically exploded.
The Pact He Made (And Immediately Broke) With Zendaya
Here is the thing most people don't realize: this wasn't supposed to be a spectacle.
Tom recently admitted on Gordon Ramsay’s Scrambled that he and Zendaya actually had a deal. They were "chatting" at the time—long before they were the world’s favorite power couple—and they agreed to keep things "easy breezy." No wild costumes. No insane choreography. Just a chill night of lighthearted fun.
Then the creative team pitched the "Umbrella" idea.
Tom, being a competitive theater kid at heart, couldn't help himself. As rehearsals went on, the scale grew. One minute it's a simple dance; the next, there’s a rain machine and he's asking for a wig. By the time the show aired, that "pact" was a distant memory.
Zendaya didn’t exactly stay low-key either, though. Her performance of Bruno Mars’ "24K Magic" was electric. But even she had to bow down when Tom did a front flip into a pool of water. She was literally seen on camera grabbing her face and hitting the floor in shock.
Those Weren’t Just Any Fishnets
You’ve probably seen the outfit. It’s a cropped black wig, a bustier, and those famous stockings.
In a hilarious twist, Tom told Gordon Ramsay that those fishnets actually belonged to his grandmother. Or at least, he joked they did when Ramsay asked if they were his mom's. It turns out he was incredibly hands-on with the costume. He wanted the quick-change. He wanted the specific "Rihanna" look.
He didn't do it to make a massive political statement about gender or toxic masculinity, though. In a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he was pretty blunt about it. He said he grew up in a "non-toxic-masculine environment" and just thought, "Yeah, f--- it, I’ll put some fishnets on and dance in the rain. That’ll be fun."
Why It Worked So Well
- The Billy Elliot Foundation: Tom isn't just an actor who can move. He’s a West End-trained dancer who played Billy Elliot. He has foundational jazz and ballet skills.
- Relentless Commitment: He didn't play it for laughs in a "look at me in a dress" way. He danced it with the intensity of a backup dancer on a world tour.
- The Surprise Factor: At the time, Spider-Man: Homecoming hadn't even hit theaters yet. People only knew him as the "new kid" from Civil War.
The Dad Who Tried to Stop It
Believe it or not, we almost never got this moment.
Tom’s father, Dominic Holland, was actually against the performance. He wasn't being mean; he was just worried. At the time, Tom's career was skyrocketing. Dominic was concerned that his son was becoming "too famous too quickly" and wanted him to maintain some semblance of a normal childhood. He urged Tom not to do "extra" TV shows that weren't strictly necessary.
Thankfully, Tom didn't listen.
He decided that if he was going to do it, he was going to go "all the way." That decision resulted in over 160 million views on YouTube and a legacy that, according to Tom, "haunts" him to this day.
Why This Lip Sync Still Matters in 2026
It’s rare for a viral video to stay relevant for nearly a decade. Usually, memes die within weeks. But the lip sync tom holland performance is different.
It’s a serotonin boost for millions. People still comment on the official video daily. They call it their "happy place." It’s also frequently cited as the moment Tom "won" the internet and arguably the moment he solidified his standing with his future wife.
There's also the technical side. Professional dancers often point out that he starts the routine with a pas de bourrée—a technical ballet step. He wasn't just flailing. He was executing choreography that many professional performers would find taxing, especially while wearing heels and navigating a slippery, water-soaked stage.
The Impact on His Career
Tom has joked that despite all the "blood, sweat, and tears" he puts into his movies, people only ever want to talk about "Umbrella."
"It’s never Spider-Man, it’s never any of my other movies, it’s always Lip Sync Battle," he told MovieWeb.
While he says he’d never do it again—mostly because he’d rather "play golf and live a private life" these days—he remains proud of it. It showed a vulnerability and a sense of humor that helped humanize a massive Marvel star.
Actionable Takeaways from the "Umbrella" Legacy
If you're looking for why this specific moment resonates so deeply, or how to apply that "Holland energy" to your own life, here’s the breakdown:
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- Commit 100% or Don't Do It: The reason it isn't cringey is because he didn't hold back. Half-heartedness is where "viral" goes to die.
- Lean Into Your Background: Tom used his West End training to elevate a silly TV show into a masterclass. Don't hide your "niche" skills.
- Don't Overthink the "Statement": Sometimes, doing something bold just because it's fun is more powerful than doing it to be "forward-thinking."
- Ignore the Doubters (Even Your Dad): If Tom had followed his father's advice to "keep it low-key," he would have missed out on the most defining moment of his public persona.
The performance remains the gold standard of the series. Even in 2026, it stands as a reminder that sometimes, the best thing you can do for your career is put on some fishnets and dance in the rain.