Josh Horowitz’s “Happy, Sad, Confused” podcast has long been known for getting the juiciest tidbits out of the guests. This time, they’re at it again with none other than Tom Hiddleston. The actor revealed on the show that his performance as the MCU’s Loki was inspired by a surprising source — one that has nothing to do with Marvel canon at all. Turns out Hiddleston might not have taken on the role of Loki at all if it weren’t for Jack Nicholson’s performance as the Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman.
“Truthfully, I don’t think I would’ve played Loki without that film. I think the way Jack Nicholson played the Joker was so… at the time in my life when I saw it, it made such an impact on my imagination,” Hiddleston tells Horowitz. But, despite the importance, Hiddleston focused on Nicholson’s performance; the actor’s inspiration didn’t stop at The Joker and DC Comics.
“I bow even lower for Alan Rickman in Die Hard and James Mason in North by Northwest,” the actor continues. “I mean, Alan Rickman, particularly in that film, was having such a good time and was so likable. I guess it’s in my make up as a fan, as someone who loved movies as a child. I loved villains who enjoyed themselves.”
Hiddleston’s tribute to juggernauts like Nicholson and Rickman highlights the importance of good cinema so far as our future generation of movie stars is concerned, especially in an era constantly questioning whether or not the traditional “movie star” is dead. Hiddleston has, of course, had a storied career outside of the MCU with smash hits like soon-to-return The Night Manager, Kong: Skull Island, and his impressive on-stage career. Still, the entire landscape of the MCU changes without his performance as the God of Mischief, as does his career as a whole.
Hiddleston notoriously auditioned for Thor instead of Loki in his original crack at the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Turns out sometimes not getting what we want sometimes means we have glorious purpose elsewhere.
