Super Bowl LVII was played this past Sunday night, and the intense matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles proved to be an instant classic. Of course, what proved to be just as memorable was Rihanna’s halftime performance. During the set, the beloved singer belted out a plethora of her greatest hits while also confirming that she’s pregnant again. The show was a sight to behold, and even Zendaya dropped a fun reaction to it on social media. But while many fans were impressed, some were also left thinking an interesting thought – that the actress’ boyfriend, Tom Holland, should’ve showed up at some point.
Back in 2017, Tom Holland went full-on Rihanna for Lip Sync Battle, where he performed her 2007 hit, “Umbrella.” The actor, who donned a wig, fishnets and more for the rendition, was praised by fans, with some left in utter disbelief that he pulled it off. The icing on the cake was the fact that his eventual girlfriend, Zendaya, was the person that he was pitted against during that episode. So it was only fitting that when she reacted to the Barbadian singer’s Super Bowl appearance, the Euphoria actress posted a screengrab of her reaction to Holland’s performance:
As for other fans, they seem to feel strongly about the notion that the 2023 Oscar nominee should’ve brought the Spider-Man actor out when she performed the aforementioned tune. One Twitter user made the aforementioned declaration in the post below:
rihanna should bring tom holland out to perform umbrella send tweet mute repliesFebruary 12, 2023
Many would surely contend that Rihanna gave a strong performance of the song that arguably solidified her status as a pop princess. However, at least one fan was apparently disappointed that the A-list actor didn’t drop in:
me realizing rihanna is done singing umbrella and tom holland didnt come onstage pic.twitter.com/lnHju46xfXFebruary 13, 2023
Because the proposed collaboration didn’t actually happen, some people got creative by imagining what such a show would look like. Another user took to Twitter to share an edited video that combines the Super Bowl’s show with that of Lip Sync Battle. You can see it for yourself in the following post:
When Rihanna brought Tom Holland out on stage during Umbrella… insanity pic.twitter.com/ULro3CTVKVFebruary 13, 2023
Interestingly, Tom Holland nearly performed another iconic pop song before “Umbrella” was approved. A costume designer for the reality competition show revealed a few years later that Holland was also prepared to give his take on Britney Spears’ “Oops!... I Did It Again.” I suppose things worked out the way they were supposed to, as fans still enjoy the performance as is – as evidenced by the tweet below:
if Rihanna brings Tom Holland on stage to perform umbrella during halftime i swear i’ll never complain again pic.twitter.com/qZfnWCAdZ2February 8, 2023
The thought of the Marvel alum making a cameo at the Super Bowl alongside Rihanna – whose new status as a mother inspired her to take the gig – is interesting. But let’s be real, did the “Pon de Replay” singer really need him to show up? After seeing that, I’d say that she probably didn’t need the help, as the star more than held down the event on her own. To put it simply, her star power is strong, and a solo showcase for the big game was more than enough to get the job done.
Those who are still pining for more Tom Holland’s covers, though, can check out his and Zendaya’s episode of Lip Sync Battle, which is available for Paramount+ subscription holders. Music lovers will also want to keep an eye on the 2023 TV schedule for premiere-related info on other reality competition series.
