Sabrina Carpenter will play Ginger Rogers in the upcoming Fred Astaire biopic — the casting reported by Deadline on September 25, 2026 puts the two-time Grammy winner alongside Tom Holland as Astaire and Margaret Qualley as Adele Astaire, with Paul King directing.
Image: Raph_PH / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
The casting
Sabrina Carpenter steps into the shoes of Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire's famed screen partner. Rogers and Astaire made nine films together between 1933 and 1939 — beginning with Flying Down to Rio — before reuniting one last time for The Barkleys of Broadway in 1949. Tom Holland plays Astaire, a role he has been attached to since it was announced in 2021, while Margaret Qualley plays Adele Astaire, Fred's elder sister and first dance partner. Deadline first reported Carpenter's casting on September 25, 2026.
The film
Paul King, the filmmaker behind Paddington and Wonka, directs from a script he co-wrote with Steven Levenson, based on Kathleen Riley's book The Astaires: Fred & Adele. The film is produced by Amy Pascal and Rachel O'Connor for Pascal Pictures, with Tom Holland producing through his Billy17 banner, for Sony Pictures.
Fred Astaire's daughter Ava Astaire McKenzie is backing the project, with her son Tyler serving as a consultant and co-producer. According to reports, Holland has begun training and wants to perform the dancing himself with no doubles, shooting the dance numbers in single continuous takes the way Astaire did. No title or release date has been announced yet.
Carpenter–Qualley connection
The two stars have already worked together — Margaret Qualley co-directed and co-starred with Sabrina Carpenter in the "House Tour" music video, released in April 2026 from Carpenter's album Man's Best Friend.
Carpenter arrives at the project on a hot streak: she won Best Collaboration at the 2026 MTV VMAs for "Bring Your Love" with Madonna — see the full list of MTV Video Music Awards 2026 winners.
Production news is expected as the film moves closer to cameras — stay tuned for more on the Fred Astaire biopic.
Frequently asked questions
Who is playing Ginger Rogers in the Fred Astaire biopic?
Sabrina Carpenter will play Ginger Rogers, as reported by Deadline on September 25, 2026. She takes on the role of Astaire's famed dance partner opposite Tom Holland as Astaire.
Who else is in the cast and who is directing?
Margaret Qualley plays Adele Astaire, Fred's sister and first dance partner. Paul King (Paddington, Wonka) directs from a script he co-wrote with Steven Levenson.
When does the film release?
No title or release date has been announced yet — the project has been in development at Sony Pictures for several years.
Have Carpenter and Qualley worked together before?
Yes. Qualley co-directed and co-starred with Carpenter in the "House Tour" music video, released April 6, 2026.
0 Comments
Please don't enter any spam link in the comment box.
Emoji