The 2021 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best TV Actor

December 30, 2021, 3:00pm

Despite much of the world (and the box office) reeling from a global pandemic, television thrived throughout 2021. The year saw streamers like Netflix set new records with its audience, and new streamers such as Disney+ introduce all kinds of new programming. Television drove much of the pop culture conversation for the year, thanks largely in part to the wonderful performance by some of the leading men . After an intense period of scrutinization by the team at ComicBook.com, we’ve determined the best of the best.

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And the winner of the 2021 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best TV Actor is…

Tom Hiddleston as Loki Laufeyson in Loki!

Hiddleston is far from being a newcomer to fans. After debuting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Thor, the classically-trained actor has become a beloved part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even though he’s appeared in a handful of Marvel Studios properties, no project gave him the right amount to shine—then Disney+’s Loki came along. Scripts from a writer’s room led by Michael Waldron complemented Hiddleston’s performance of the mischievous villain perfectly, taking him on a time-traveling crime thriller injected with that classic Marvel charm at every turn—and the show’s lead ate it up, and then some.

Within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans had seen the Asgardian trickster progress from a one-dimensional villain in Thor to a complex anti-hero in Thor: Ragnarok, before being killed off in the opening moments of Avengers: Infinity War. Since Loki technically takes place in the past, the series allowed Hiddleston to explore that entire history within the span of one single event series, and he took full advantage of it.The actor made slight tweaks to his character here and there, making it obvious as to why Loki was fan-favorite in the first place. His background allowed him to further nail down his foundation as a cornerstone of Norse mythology, while much more screen time allowed him to flesh out the character’s humor and personal feelings.

But most importantly—Hiddleston managed to keep his character fresh. In a franchise where fans started to tire of the same characters they’d seen constantly over the past decade, one of the longest-serving villains happened to get injected with a breath of fresh air, and the opportunity to keep moving forward with additional storytelling and development. And that’s what Tom Hiddleston is ComicBook.com’s Best TV Actor of 2021.

Congratulations to Hiddleston for his Best TV Actor win!

The nominees for Best TV Actor are: