“Well, the Bifrost technically is the energy that runsthroughthe bridge,” he says with a smile.
“But nine points to Gryffindor!”
The lasting impression is that playing Loki isn’t just a paycheck.
Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Chris Hemsworth as Thor in 2011’s ‘Thor.'.Zade Rosenthal/Marvel Studios
“I wanted to explore slightly more complex character questions,” says Waldron.
“It’s not just good versus bad.
Is anybody all good?
Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Chris Hemsworth as Thor in 2011’s ‘Thor.'.Zade Rosenthal/Marvel Studios
Is anybody all bad?
What makes a hero, a hero?
A villain, a villain?”
Charlie Gray for EW
The character’s popularity is one of the reasons he’s managed to avoid death many times.
“He’s been around for thousands of years.
He had all sorts of adventures,” says Feige.
Owen Wilson as Mobius and Tom Hiddleston as Loki in ‘Loki.'.Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios
custody during the time heist featured inAvengers: Endgame.
In other words, this Loki hasn’t gone through any sort of redemption arc.
Hiddleston can’t believe how long he and Loki have been connected.
Charlie Gray for EW
“I’ve been playing this character for 11 years,” he says.
“Tom has a wild imagination, so does Loki.
He’s got a mischievous sense of humor and he was ready to play.
It felt like he had a star personality, but he was a team player.”
Hiddleston fully immersed himself in the character.
There was a lot riding on that firstThorfeature.
Second, it was integral to Feige’s plans for the shared universe.
Feige first clued Hiddleston into those larger plans when the actor was in L.A. beforeThorstarted shooting.
“I was like, ‘Excuse me?’
Because he was already three, four steps ahead,” says Hiddleston.
The creative journey was going to be so exciting."
You were made to be ruled.
In the end, you will always kneel."
Loki now knows he has no place in Asgard."
Loki did find a place within the audience’s hearts, though.
No, that was above and beyond the plan that we were hoping for and dreaming of."
“That was one of the early signs there was much more happening with this quote-unquote villain.”
Alas, he couldn’t out-illusion death forever.
“It felt very, very final, and I thought, ‘Okay, that’s it.
But, though he didn’t know it yet, the actor’s MCU story was far from over.
“Where’d he go?
When does he go?
How does he get there?
To be fair, it’s likely the Powers That Be didn’t necessarily have answers then.
So by the time [Endgame] came out, we did know where it was going.”
“I probably should not have been surprised, but I was,” says the actor.
“But only becauseInfinity Warhad felt so final.”
Nevertheless, Hiddleston was excited about returning for his show.
“I love this idea [of] Loki’s chaotic energy somehow being something we need.
Even though, for all sorts of reasons, you don’t know whether you might trust him.
You don’t know whether he’s going to betray you.
You don’t why he’s doing what he’s doing,” says Hiddleston.
“If he’s shapeshifting so often, does he even know who he is?
And is he even interested in understanding who he is?
Is he introspective enough or brave enough to find out?
It was fantastic.”
Hiddleston got something out of the Loki school, too.
During their conversation, Wilson pointedly asked Hiddleston what he loved about playing the character.
Everyone involved is particularly excited for audiences to see Hiddleston and Wilson’s on-screen chemistry.
He likes to be very flamboyant and theatrical.
Mobius doesn’t give him the reaction he’s looking for.
That leads to a very unique relationship that Loki’s not used to.”
MakingLokiwas especially meaningful to Hiddleston because they shot most of it during the pandemic, in late 2020.
“I’m open to everything,” he says.
“I have said goodbye to the character.
I’ve said hello to the character.
I said goodbye to the character [again].
I’ve learned not to make assumptions, I suppose.
I’m just grateful that I’m still here, and there are still new roads to explore.”
Additional reporting by Jessica Derschowitz
Motion Direction & Photography by Charlie Gray.
Second look: Suit, Shirt, Tie: Scabal; Shoes: Church’s; Socks: Falke.
