Tom Holland says his ‘Umbrella’ drag lip sync gets more praise than his movies
Holland said his lip sync to Rihanna’s 'Umbrella' was "ahead of its time"
By Aaron Sugg
Do you remember Tom Holland’s 2017 Lip Sync Battle? We sure do, and so does he, revealing that his performance in drag got him more praise than any of his movies.
Speaking on the Good Hang podcast with Amy Poehler, Holland recalled his performance of Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ on Lip Sync Battle nearly a decade on.
“I get more compliments for that dance than any piece of work I have ever done,” Holland exclaimed. “I’ve probably watched it more than most movies,” Poehler quipped.
Tom Holland said his lip sync to Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ was “ahead of its time”
With over 172 million views on the Comedy Central Latinoamérica YouTube channel, the moment has stood out as one of Holland’s many career highlights.
Poehler complimented a then 21-year-old Holland for being “comfortable with his feminine side,” to which he agreed, replying: “Oh yeah, totally, yeah.”
He dubbed the moment “ahead of its time,” after drawing attention to his revealing pair of latex shorts that had viewers gushing as the stage rain glossed over his bare legs.
Holland stepped out in full drag following a short performance to ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ by Gene Kelly
To jog your memory, Holland first took to the stage in an oversized suit and tie miming the lyrics to ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ by Gene Kelly, before jumping behind a wall of umbrellas for a big reveal.
Cue Rihanna and the Spider-Man star stepping out in full drag: a black bob, red lipstick and a leather bodysuit with matching shorts. Armed with an umbrella and unwavering confidence, unbeknownst to him, this was a moment that would go down in queer history.
He recalled his dad’s response to his Rihanna number, telling Holland: “If you’re going to do it, give it 100 per cent.”
Where did Holland learn how to perform?
Holland grew up in southwest London, where he later trained in ballet, gymnastics and acrobatics at the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon.
He leveraged these skills as a child to star in the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical and went on to become a Hollywood household name.
Holland’s next role is in Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated adaptation of The Odyssey, coming to cinemas on 17 July 2026.