Tom Hiddleston Discusses His Inspiration for Iconic Loki Role – What Made This Famous God Tick?
Tom Hiddleston’s performance as Loki instantly grabbed the attention of fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With his sly smile and soft voice, Loki radiates charm even when committing despicable acts. Through Hiddleston, audiences eagerly followed Loki’s character arc. What inspired Hiddleston’s memorable performance? The answer might be surprising.
Tom Hiddleston on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast
Hiddleston recently appeared on an episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, where he discussed the MCU and his experiences as Loki. Although the mischievous god was killed in “Avengers: Infinity War,” that didn’t stop him from starring in his own Disney+ series, and he will be returning in “Avengers: Doomsday” this Christmas.
You might be asking how the beloved god of mischief can return if he’s dead. Well, ever since “Avengers: Endgame” opened the door for time travel and the multiverse, anything is possible in the MCU. Hiddleston couldn’t be pressed for details about “Avengers: Doomsday,” even after being asked what happens after the “Loki” Disney+ show. “What happens next, you’ll have to wait and see,” he said in a sly manner.
Horowitz pried Hiddleston for any tidbits about “Doomsday,” after which Hiddleston simply replied that Robert Downey Jr. will be playing Dr. Doom, which everyone already knows. After discussing “Doomsday,” Horowitz asked Hiddleston various movie-related questions, including who his favorite movie Spider-Man was (of course, he said the MCU’s version, Tom Holland) and what was his favorite comic book movie that he wasn’t in, which led to an interesting tidbit about what inspired Loki.
The Inspiration for Hiddleston’s Iconic Performance
Hiddleston’s answer to the comic book movie question was Tim Burton’s 1989 classic “Batman.” He said, “Truthfully, I don’t think I would have played Loki without that film.” When Horowitz asked why, Hiddleston responded, “I think that sort of like the way Jack Nicholson played the Joker…at the time of my life when I saw it…it made such an impact on my imagination, that I understood he was the villain… but he was having such a good time…and that could describe somebody else I know.”
Hiddleston went on to say the Joker “was so charismatic, and he was so inventive, and he was so free.” Indeed, Loki embodies similar traits to Nicholson’s Joker, especially given how they both seem to always be enjoying what they’re doing. Hiddleston also said that he loved the dynamic between Nicholson’s Joker and Michael Keaton’s Batman, and “probably, when I went to play Loki for the first time, I consciously carried Jack Nicholson in mind.”
Loki first appeared in 2011’s “Thor,” directed by Kenneth Branagh. Hiddleston mentioned that during the filming of “Thor,” he and Branagh would film different takes and “attribute them to different actors.” During each take, Hiddleston wouldn’t be doing impressions; instead, he would be trying to capture the actor’s essence. He said that he would be “having the most fun in the room” during the Jack Nicholson takes. The different takes would provide different “flavors” to be used during editing, which might have helped Loki become such a complex character.
Why We Love This God
Loki will forever capture the audience’s hearts with his anti-heroic charm. Much like Nicholson’s Joker, he isn’t a morally sound character, but he always brings fun and charisma to the table. No matter how many memorable heroes and villains the MCU brings us, Loki will always be one of the fans’ favorite characters. You can thank Hiddleston’s experience with “Batman” for his unique take on the god of mischief. You can also thank Nicholson’s bold, charismatic portrayal of the Joker for Hiddleston’s bold, charismatic portrayal of our favorite god.
