Loki: Tom Hiddleston Reflects on Playing the Marvel Character For Over a Decade

Tom Hiddleston has been playing Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for quite some time now, first appearing as the fan-favorite trickster in 2011 Thor. In the more than decade since, the character has gone on quite a journey to the character fans see in the Disney+ series, Loki and it’s been a journey for Hiddleston as well. The actor spoke with Lily James for Variety‘s “Actors on Actors” and reflected on playing the iconic role.

“Loki’s changed so much over the years for me,” Hiddleston said. “I was cast when I was 29, and I’m 41.”

“Initially, with the wigs and the costume, I was always trying to break out of the mask,” he continued. “Let something honest come through. By the time we got to the series, Loki’s stripped of all the things that are familiar. Immediately, he’s literally stripped and put in a jumpsuit, and his status is gone. Everyone knows who the character is now. Let’s open him up and find new aspects of him and challenge the character to change and grow.”

Part of that growth and change is character’s sexuality. The first season of Loki confirmed that the character is bisexual, and for Hiddleston, it’s a small step, but still significant and an integral part of who Loki is.

“In the MCU. Back from my early days of researching the character in myths, the identity of Loki was fluid in every aspect,” Hiddleston said. “In gender, in sexuality. It’s an ancient part of the character, and it hadn’t emerged in the stories we’ve told. It’s a small step. There’s so much more to do. But the Marvel Cinematic Universe has to reflect the world we live in. Extraordinary character, in a way, to contain so much.”

Loki fans will get see more of the “extraordinary character” when Loki returns for a second season. Hiddleston recently revealed that the whole cast of the series will be returning, including Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, and Sophia Di Martino. With Season 1 of the series seeing Loki well into his redemption, Hiddleston previously spoke about how he’s excited for fans to see more of that side of the complex character.

“I understand the audience sees good in Loki — they want him to get past his internal and external obstacles,” Hiddleston said. “They want him to repair that relationship with his brother and step into the hero that he can be. He realizes, ‘Actually, I can choose my path and choose to do the right thing. Or I choose, at least, not to repeat the same old tricks that I repeated over and over in a cycle of trust and betrayal.’ It’s exciting to retain all the characteristics that make Loki, Loki, and at the same time play a slightly different music within him.”

The first season of Loki is now streaming on Disney+.