Marvel star Tom Hiddleston reveals his unusual inspiration for Loki was Superman
Jun. 7, 2024“He’s masterful”
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Tom Hiddleston has played Marvel’s God of Mischief Loki since he was 28 years old in countless MCU films and shows.
However, the actor has now shared he initially found it tricky to get into character for his first audition, until he found some unusual inspiration in another superhero: Christopher Reeve’s Superman. He starred in Richard Donner’s 1978 blockbuster and its subsequent sequels.
“I remember thinking, ‘This is almost Shakespearean, this language,” Hiddleston tellsBackstage. “What’s the best example I can [look to] of an actor who managed to humanize and make real this elevated world of myth?”
He landed on Reeve’s Man of Steel, adding: “He’s masterful in that film. In a way, it’s a similar premise: He’s a god or he’s a being from a different realm, and it’s not naturalistic in the way that we might expect. He does it so truthfully, and it’s so clear and clean and open and honest. I thought, ‘If I can even approximate or get close to the kind of clarity that Christopher Reeve had in those films, I’ll be lucky.'”
Hiddleston has been reflecting on playing the MCU villain turned hero ever since thefinal episode of Loki season 2 aired. TheDisneyPlus show ended his redemption arc as he made the ultimate sacrifice to become the keeper of the timelines. Taking over fromHe Who Remains, he arranges the threads intoYggdrasiland becomes their guardian at the End of Time.
It’s not yet clear if this will be Hiddleston’s swansong in the role, but he’s not ruling out a return. Speaking to Backstage he was “non-committal” about if this is the end of the line, whilehe previously teased he could one day return to the role.
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter
Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox
I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I’ve also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.
Daredevil: Born Again star reveals that the MCU series is set five years after the Netflix original
Kathryn Hahn says Agatha All Along was a “satisfying” way for her to say goodbye to Agatha Harkness, but offers one ray of hope: “We’ll see what the future holds”
Todd Howard “rolled his eyes” at the idea of Troy Baker playing Indiana Jones in the Great Circle, but the Bethesda boss later told him “you’re doing a hell of a job”
