EntertainmentTVAction ShowsMarvel TV ShowsLokiMarvel star Tom Hiddleston reveals his unusual inspiration for Loki was SupermanWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentTVAction ShowsMarvel TV ShowsLokiMarvel star Tom Hiddleston reveals his unusual inspiration for Loki was SupermanWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Marvel)

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.
In the meantime, we’ve got plenty more on the horizon forMarvel Phase 5andMarvel Phase 6. Next up isDeadpool 3, before we get into moreupcoming Marvel movies and TV showslater in 2024.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
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2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”