50 Greatest Tom Hiddleston Moments
Hiddlestoners unite...
Evil Explanation
During this year's Super Bowl, Tom Hiddleston joined Mark Strong and Sir Ben Kingsley in a Jaguar ad that attempts to explain why British people are always cast as baddies in Hollywood movies.
"We're more focussed, more precise," explains Hiddleston, riding in a helicopter and sipping a cup of tea (we presume it's Earl Grey). "And we're obsessed by power!"
Dancing Feet
Move over Billy Elliot, there's a new dancer in town - yep, Tom Hiddleston just can't resist the odd Flashdance whenever the mood takes him.
Like the time he took to stage on Korean TV to bust a serious groove - even kicking a chair over in the process. Not that that deterred him any. Naturally, the audience went wild…
Midnight In Paris
Hiddleston slips into a dapper suit and affects an American accent as literary legend F. Scott Fitzgerald in Woody Allen's charming time travel flick. He befriends Owen Wilson's fish-out-of-time and the rest is history.
Naturally, working with Woody Allen also led to the revelation that Hiddleston does an ace Allen impression, which he cracked out live on air when chatting with Fearne Cotton on BBC Radio 1.
Hollow Crown
Hiddleston appeared in three of the four instalments of BBC drama Hollow Crown - Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 , and Henry V - as Prince Hal and, later, King Henry V.
Though he missed out on any awards for the role, there's no denying he's fantastic, earning rave reviews, not least from the Telegraph , which praised his "clever" performance.
"[It was] when his heart was heavy, meditating on his destiny in a corpse-strewn foreign field, that you realised his quiet power," wrote the paper.
Grieving
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) finds Loki (Hiddleston) in his cell in Thor: The Dark World . Having learnt that their mother has been killed by evil elf Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), Loki first puts up an illusion of calm civility.
Then he casts the illusion aside and we discover Loki is grieving the death of his adopted mother. It's a shocking sight and shows us that, under all the boiling rage, Loki really does have feelings after all.
Thor: The Dark World is out on DVD/Blu-ray on 24th February
Restaurant
An excruciating restaurant scene in Brit drama Archipelago sees Edward (Hiddleston) and his family first unable to make up their minds about with table to sit at, and then Edward's sister wants to have a word with the chef over her undercooked fish.
"I'm sure you've done the right thing," says Edward. We all cringe.
Dench
Hiddleston made an appearance in short film Friend Request Pending , starring as Judi Dench's son, who attempts to get in touch with her via Facebook.
Naturally, it all gets a bit weird when they chat over IM and Dench's Mary attempts to 'poke' him on the social networking website. The film won acclaim at numerous film festivals, including nabbing the Best Comedy Short at the Rhode Island Film Festival.
Muppets
The film's not out yet, but we know Hiddleston makes a cameo in Muppets Most Wanted (as his sketch with Cookie Monster will show us further into this list, he just can't resist a Muppet).
In the trailer for MPS , we see him breaking out of some sort of metallic neck brace as part of some kind of 'annual revue' show. What's it got to do with the rest of the film? We have no idea, but we can't wait to see it in action.
Crying Time
While on the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of Thor: The Dark World, Hiddleston became unexpectedly emotional.
"This might be the last Marvel red carpet for you," observed an interviewer, prompting Hiddleston to well up at the very thought of it. "You made me cry," he laughs. Bless him.
Family Get Together
A curly-haired, pre-Thor Hiddleston appears in Archipelago , Joanna Hogg's realism drama. Hiddleston plays Edward, who's having a quarter-life crisis when he goes away with his family for a farewell holiday ahead of going to work as a volunteer in Africa.
In this dinner scene, the realism comes to the fore and Hiddleston's fantastic as Edward discusses what he plans on doing about his girlfriend while he's away - and butts heads with his snippy sister.
Crimson Peak
How do you fill a Benedict Cumberbatch-sized hole in your movie? Insert a little Hiddleston. That's what Guillermo del Toro did in September 2013 when he cast Hiddleston in Crimson Peak , his awesome-looking new horror movie.
Filming kicks off this month, with the plot revolving around a woman's new husband, who turns out to be slightly less charming that he first seems. We. Cannot. Wait.
Get Loki
You've heard Daft Punk's song 'Get Lucky', right? Well, Hiddleston made it his own when he changed the lyrics to 'Get Loki' for a film reporter during a junket.
It's sort of a mixture of cringe/adorable/brilliant. Why hasn't he released it as a single yet?
Slumber Party
Hiddleston had an on-screen sleepover with MTV’s Josh Horowitz last year, which resulted in not one but two shocking revelations.
The first? He's seen Chris Hemsworth naked (in a photo, apparently). The second? He has a snake hips dance move that would put any boa constrictor in a twist.
Plus, he went to the slumber party in a Thor t-shirt. Which is just awesome.
Accidentally Groping
During a spoof junket interview for Thor: The Dark World , Hiddles did a pouty impression of Natalie Portman - which was hilarious in itself.
But then it spawned a legion of internet memes in which Pouty Hiddles was inserted into numerous Marvel movie posters - including Thor , Iron Man 3 , and a shot of Black Widow which is too funny for words.
Eyeball
As part of his grand design, Loki heads to Stuttgart (in Avengers Assemble ), where he uses a pretty grim device to extract a patron's eye so that he can gain access to the iridium that he needs to stabilise the tesseract.
Luckily, Loki's not as squeamish as everybody else - in fact, he seems to enjoy it when people start running and screaming…
Family Guy
"Did you kill the painting?" asks the statue of Peter's ancestor in this particularly hysterical episode of Family Guy (entitled 'No Country Club For Old Men').
The guy voicing the statue? None other than Tom Hiddleston, maybe the briefest of brief cameos. He's not the only Brit actor who cameo'd in the episode - Sean Bean also voiced a painting of one of Peter's ancestors.
Coriolanus
In December 2013, we checked out Hiddleston's stage version of Coriolanus , a muscular drama from director Josie Rourke, staged at the Donmar Warehouse.
"Owning the role as the fatally confident general, it'll be no surprise to Loki fans that Hiddleston excels at cocky and charismatic," we wrote. "Meaty, bloody (literally and metaphysically), visceral and affecting, this Coriolanus teases tangible humanity out of what is often a bombastic play, and is worth the fight for a ticket."
War Horse
Hiddleston plays Captain James Nicholls in this thrilling scene from Spielberg's book adaptation. He gets to ride a horse, point a sword and scream "charrrrrrrge!" alongside Benedict Cumberbatch.
It, um, doesn't end well for him, though…
Auditioning
Hiddleston is now so inseparable from the role of Loki, it's almost impossible to imagine him playing anybody else in the Marvel-verse. Except he almost did.
Imagine our surprise when extras on the Thor: TDW disc revealed that Hiddleston had actually auditioned originally to play Thor - he even beefed up for the audition, growing out his blond hair and swinging a hammer about a bit. Has to be seen to be believed.
Arm-Wrestling
While appearing on a German chat show with Chris Hemsworth, Hiddleston agrees to a spot of arm-wrestling with his co-star.
"Be gentle with me," Hiddleston says, before the epic battle for arm-wrestling supremacy begins. Who wins? We won't spoil it for you…
High Rise
Though cameras aren't set to roll on this new adaptation of JG Ballard's novel until June 2014, news that Hiddleston will be teaming up with director Ben Wheatley on the film has us in a movie-loving tizzy.
Wheatley's easily one of the most exciting Brit directors working today, so having him pair up with Hiddleston can't help but set our excitement levels soaring. No release date as yet, but this is already right up there as one of our absolute must-see upcoming movies.
Daddy Issues
"Am I cursed?" In the first Thor , Loki speaks with Odin (Anthony Hopkins), having been tempted by the lure of the tesseract.
"What am I?" he demands, to which Odin responds: "You're my son." It's an emotionally-charged scene beautifully played by both actors. We can't help but get chills when Loki loses it…
Action Figures
"I hate your guts!"
As if he hadn't already ruled Comic-Con 2013 (keep reading), Hiddles had even more fun when he acted out the plot of Thor: The Dark World using action figures. Yes, action figures. Brilliant…
Trick Or Treat
Halloween 2012, and a special charity screening of Thor: The Dark World received a surprise guest in the form of Hiddleston.
“I just landed from London at 4 p.m. and to sort of come through the airport, throw on some clothes and come into that response where there were just 300 kids so excited to be there,” the actor said.
“To see that enthusiasm, to see them clap and cheer, wearing Loki T-shirts and swinging hammers, that was really gratifying.”
Dancing Vamps
Adam (Hiddleston) is in a bad mood in vampire movie Only Lovers Left Alive , moping under his goth-like tresses after wife Eve (Tilda Swinton) has told him off (we won't spoil why).
Attempting to lighten the mood, Eve puts on a record and gets him to dance - despite the fact that Adam's still in his undercover doctor scrubs. But dance, they do, and it's beautiful.
Only Lovers Left Alive is in cinemas 21st February.
Versus Tony Stark
Toward the climax of Avengers Assemble , Loki confronts Tony (Robert Downey Jr) in his penthouse, where he's waiting for the Chitauri to make an appearance.
"There is no throne," Stark tells an increasingly-annoyed Loki, who attempts to make Stark into his slave using his tesseract staff. It doesn't work, and Loki's confused face is hilarious as he keeps tentatively dabbing the staff at Stark's chest.
Elf Ship
Put Thor and Loki together and there's bound to be a bit of snarky banter. That's definitely true in this scene from Thor: The Dark World, where the half-brothers are aboard a Dark Elf ship attempting to flee Asgard.
"Well done, you just decapitated grandfather,” snipes Loki when Thor crashes into a statue. And when they finally emerge on the other side, Loki lets loose a drier-than-the-Sahara "Ta-dah!"
Frost Giants
When we chatted with Hiddleston about his favourite Loki moments last year, he included the opening scenes in the first Thor , in which he and his Thunder God bro take on the Frost Giants.
"It’s weirdly unforgettable," he told TF . "He was wearing the red cape and holding the hammer. He said something like, 'Know your place, brother.' It just felt like we’d started something. So that particular shot has a very close place in my heart."
Jessica Chastain
Alright, this is more of a Jessica Chastain moment, but bear with us. Chastain's starring with Hiddleston in horror flick Crimson Peak , and while talking to MTV, she revealed something about the Brit star that's, well, sort of funny.
"I'll tell you something about your boy Tom Hiddleston," she confides in her interviewer. "Whenever he gets scared, he cries. He can't help it." Eek.
Blood Donor
Wearing a stethoscope from the '70s and calling himself Dr Faust, Adam (Hiddleston) visits a hospital in Only Lovers Left Alive.
He meets Dr Watson, who provides him with the blood he needs, as a vampire, to survive - while also giving him a few fashion tips (that stethoscope is SO dated).
The menace factor's upped as Adam leaves, and witnesses a woman getting her leg bandaged. Breathing deeply, he resists the sight of that yummy red stuff…
Flying Visit
Thor's been banished to Earth in the first Thor flick, but that doesn't stop Loki visiting him in a brief, dream-y sequence that gives us some great Thor-Loki interaction.
Wearing a green jacket and tie, Loki's doing the smart businessman thing, lying through his teeth by telling Thor that Odin's dead and that a truce with the Frost Giants can only be struck if Thor stays away from Asgard. The seeds of a villain are sewn…
Star Wars
Like any self-respecting movie fan, Hiddles revealed that he grew up loving Star Wars and would definitely be interested in being in Episode VII.
"I'm a huge fan - especially of the first three, cause I grew up watching Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi ," he's said. "So, absolutely, yeah. It would depend on the story and the character and things."
We have to make this happen.
Dad Time
"It's not that I don't love our chats," Loki says at the beginning of Thor: The Dark World.
He's been hauled in front of Odin for a God-sized dressing down after what he did to New York in Avengers Assemble. It's our first glimpse of Loki in the sequel, and only whets our appetite for the awesomeness that is to come.
Dr Seuss
Hiddleston has a go at narration, providing the voiceover for this rib-tickling Robot Chicken sketch, entitled Butchered In Burbank.
It's a Lorax spoof that packs in the four-letter expletives and some, er, 'revised' Dr Seuss lessons…
Kurse
Loki's incarcerated in Thor: The Dark World , and he's enjoying taking it easy with a good book.
He's enjoying reading so much that he barely even looks up when a super-powered Kurse breaks into the prison and starts destroying his cellmates. Now that's classy.
Throne
At the end of Thor: The Dark World (HELLO SPOILERS), we discover that Loki didn't die on Svartalfheim after all - he merely tricked everybody into thinking he'd come a cropper (including bro Thor).
In reality, he created another illusion and escaped with his life. And at the end of this sequel, we discover he's finally gotten his hands on the throne - he's now masquerading as Odin. So what happened to the real Odin?
Versus Captain America
In Avengers Assemble , Loki's in Germany, where he's turning the populace into his willing slaves. Until, that is, Black Widow and Captain America turn up to crash the party.
Cue a fight in which Loki first goes up against Caps (shield-clashing galore) before Iron Man arrives (with AC/DC blaring, naturally) to apprehend him good and proper.
Bloodcicle
"Blood on a stick," muses Adam (Hiddleston) in Only Lovers Left Alive . "Not bad."
Being a vampire, the thought of frozen blood is sort of appealing for him, and this is a fun spin on vampire iconography - not in seven years did Buffy ever come up with bloodcicles.
Grand Entrance
It's fair to say that Loki makes one heck of an entrance in Avengers Assembl e. With Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) messing around with the tesseract, a portal's opened and blue light floods through the work station as a portal into space opens.
Loki's first act on Earth? Attempting to kill Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). He then takes out security, turns Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) into his slave and pretty much establishes that nobody messes with this guy.
Playing The Captain
"God bless America!"
Remember that scene in Thor: The Dark World where Chris Evans makes an unexpected cameo as Captain America (really a shape-shifted Loki)? In a deleted scene, Hiddleston actually wears the Captain America suit - and looks damn good in it, too.
Saturday Night Live
In October 2013, Hiddles appeared in the Korean version of Saturday Night Live . In the skit, he talks about noise problems between neighbours.
It basically involves lots of dancing, knocking on doors and Korean craziness - plus Hiddleston getting titty-twisted by a woman in a curly grey wig…
UNICEF
When he's not off making movies, Hiddleston also does a lot of work for UNICEF, having been an official supporter of the charity since January 2013, when he went to work in West Africa.
He's blogged about his experiences ( see here ) and recently appeared in a video for the Syria Winter Appeal PSA. Talk about using your super-powers for good…
Meeting Miss Piggy
Hiddleston looks genuinely star struck when he meets Miss Piggy on the red carpet at the BAFTA 2012 awards.
"I'm the biggest fan of you and have been all my life," he gushes, before getting a little hug from the porcine wonder.
Sing-A-Long
In The Deep Blue Sea , Hiddleston plays RAF pilot Freddie, who has a passionate affair with married Hester (Rachel Weisz).
In this stand-out scene, they have a jolly good sing-a-long in their local drinking hole, crooning Jo Stafford's 'You Belong To Me'. Ridiculously romantic.
Hulk Smash
Loki gets his comeuppance in Avengers Assemble when he goes up against Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).
About to embark on another terrifying sermon, Loki's cut short when Hulk suddenly seizes him by the feet and uses Loki to smash apart the floor of Tony Stark's apartment. "Hulk smash…"
Sesame Street
We all know Hiddleston does a mean Cookie Monster impression, but how about co-starring with the biscuit-muncher on an episode of Sesame Street ?
The Brit star did a two-minute sketch with old CM in order to teach him a lesson about self-control. "Maybe this could be a lesson in delayed gratification," says Hiddleston when Cookie Monster demands to have a nibble…
Comic-Con
At the 2013 Comic-Con, Tom Hiddleston gave movie (and comic) fans a treat when he came on-stage in character as Loki - replete with his Loki costume.
"Say my name!" he shouts at Hall H, having killed the lights and made something of a grand entrance. Dutifully, the crowd starts chanting his name…
Commercial Parody
"Who needs a hammer? I can push you over with my bare hands," gripes Hiddleston (in full Loki costume) in this spoof AT&T sketch for Comedy Central.
Sitting in a playroom, he discusses with kids who's better, Thor or Loki. And he doesn't like the answer he gets…
Impersonation
Hiddleston's gift for impersonating his fellow celebs has become the thing of YouTube legend - from unveiling his Owen Wilson impression on Popcorn Taxi to doing a spot-on Chris Evans and Christopher Walken.
He even tackled the Cookie Monster during Thor: TDW junket and - perhaps most impressively of all - has acted out the De Niro/Pacino scene from Heat , alternately playing both A-listers. Amazing.
Mewling Quim
Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) goes to speak to an incarcerated Loki in Avengers Assemble , where the bad guy reveals his grand plan to her.
Part of that reveal includes him branding her a "mewling quim", which is just about the best insult we've ever heard on-screen - and Hiddleston clearly relishes it.
Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.