Tom Hiddleston talks Coriolanus: ‘I have to look as if I could lead an army’

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I really just can’t get enough of these photos from Tom Hiddleston’s Coriolanus rehearsals. I’ve covered them before, and I still love them. I love that he’s wearing a thin little t-shirt and it’s obviously really, really cold in this space, because my God… you can cut glass with those Hiddlesnips. You can see more pics here. Anyway, Hiddleston is still doing press! THANK GOD. I was going through Hiddleswithdrawals. This time he’s giving interviews to promote his run as Coriolanus, his first time on the stage in five years. Enjoy:

Tom Hiddleston declared himself ‘battle-ready’ and eager to take up his sword as a mighty Roman general, for his first stage appearance in five years.

Hiddleston plays the title role in Josie Rourke’s production of Shakespeare’s tragedy Coriolanus, which begins performances at the Donmar Warehouse on December 6.

‘There’s going to be real blood and sweat,’ the actor said, only half joking. For several weeks, fight director Richard Ryan, has been putting Tom and Hadley Fraser, who plays Coriolanus’s Volscian enemy, Tullus Aufidius, through combat training.

‘He’s a war machine,’ Tom says of Coriolanus. ‘So I have to look as if I could lead an army. He’s at his most alive in battle, but he doesn’t know how to be in peacetime. He returns from the battlefield a hero, and the people want to make him their political leader — but he’s a master of war, not politics. The soldier side of him requires cut-and-dried discipline and the clarity of mind you need to win a battle. He’s battle ready — but you don’t draw your sword in the Senate!’

Tom told me that he and director Rourke have been exploring Coriolanus’s relationship with his mother.

‘He has no father, so he was raised by his patriotic mother. It’s odd that he’s so obsessively masculine — and this is 200 years before Freud,’ the actor noted.

The play also features Deborah Findlay, Mark Gatiss and Borgen’s Birgitte Hjort Sorensen.

Film had for a while tempted Hiddleston away from the theatre. Since he last appeared on the boards, in Michael Grandage’s production of Ivanov, he has played bad guy Loki in three Marvel comics movies including Thor: The Dark World, which has taken more than £18 million at the UK cinema box office.

Soon after Coriolanus completes its run at the Donmar, he will head right back to the big screen, teaming up with Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska on Guillermo De Toro’s haunted house film Crimson Peak.

[From The Daily Mail]

So, it starts December 6th? Does this mean Tommy is going to do more interviews and photoshoots ahead of the opening? Please make it so. PLEASE. If he talks about Shakespeare constantly while promoting a Marvel film, do you know how epic it will get when he’s promoting an actual Shakespeare play? Bless his heart.

Also, there’s a new Japanese trailer for Only Lovers Left Alive. There are some new “moments” that we’ve never seen, including Tommy seductively licking a blood popsicle (around the 50-second mark). Yes, the popsicle lick has already been GIF’d.

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Photos courtesy of Twitter.

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152 Responses to “Tom Hiddleston talks Coriolanus: ‘I have to look as if I could lead an army’”

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  1. han says:

    Does he ever stop giving interviews?

    • Abby says:

      ^^THIS

      Too much TommyAnne these day…it’s getting boring now.

      Now I understand the feeling of those who complained about too many Cumby posts before (which was fine by me) lol

    • Algernon says:

      I don’t get this attitude. I see this aimed at Hiddles, Cumby, Jennifer Lawrence, and others. Yes, it’s a lot of interviews, but he’s also working a lot (as are the others mentioned). He’s just doing what the press agents for the productions he works on asks of him. It’s not like *he* is calling the newspapers and offering these quotes out of the blue. His play is opening in a couple weeks, and they’re doing press to support the opening. This is no different than promoting a movie.

      Get on Hiddles for being an excitable puppy, or on any of them should they be unprofessional, but he is just doing his job here. And in Hiddles case in particular, if you don’t visit sites like this, he is *much* less prevalent. This is a bubble. A soapy, dragonfly bubble.

      • Florc says:

        THIS
        These celebs are giving a million interviews because they’re promoting a ton of movies. At least they’re promoting and happy to have work unlike Bruce Willis.
        With that said we can be annoyed that these celebs with there tons of interviews are being covered here. At least we can show how we feel about that in the comment sections:) It gets old. For a while it was like every time Cumby coughed it was given a thread.

      • Rose says:

        Meh he is always on a “promo tour”. Toms whole life is a “promo tour.” THor2 and the play is one thing. But i can remember before all this he didnt do anything had no new movies out but there he was singing at some disney event with some other random actors or giving interviews for no reason. He is always ON. Like a used car salesman.

      • Ally8 says:

        Ditto. He looks like a plucked chicken. Notice how even though his body is buffed up, he still has a pinhead?

        Basically, ew, no. CB has converted me to the wonder that is Cumberbatch, but this fellow, never. And way too many interviews.

  2. Amelia says:

    Ridiculously thin t-shirt . . .
    Hiddles fuzz . . .
    Veins (yes, I know I’m weird.)
    Easily my favourite set of HiddlyAnna pics.

    • Spooks says:

      Doesn’t everyone love veins on men’s hands?
      To me he looked the best in the first Thor movie. I like tall, pale, skinny men. He’s a bit too buff for me here.

      • Amelia says:

        I thought so too, but I’ve been reliably informed by my friends that I’m rather strange, apparently.
        Bodybuilder veins – no. But subtle veins that hint at an active lifestyle are something I find very attractive. Hmm. Maybe one of my grandparents was a vampire . . .

      • Bubbles says:

        I like veins too! And I agree, there’s nothing better than a pasty skinny guy. With glasses. And freckles. And preferably ginger. Oh my.

    • V4Real says:

      I love him with the fuzz.

    • icerose says:

      I am just dying here. Two weeks to till it opens and six weeks till I see it. I do not think I have ever been as excited about anything as much as I am about this.

  3. GeeMoney says:

    I like Tom and all… but I’ve been dying for a Cumberbatch post all week (or more than one)… I’ve been responding to Hiddleston threads to keep me calm.

    Not trying to hijack this post… I just miss my daily Cumby news. I think Kaiser spoiled me, lol.

    PS – Tom looks pretty cute with a sword and a slight hint of muscle on him.

  4. Virgilia Coriolanus says:

    Don’t be telling me about Caius Marcius–I happen to know more, Hiddleston!

    Miss Jane–does this mean I get custody of Hiddleston, when he’s Coriolanus???

  5. T.fanty says:

    Hiddles nipples and Coriolanus is a terrific combo as far as I’m concerned.

    I’m REALLY looking forward to sassy Hiddles cranking up his sense of privilege and dismissing the common cry of curs. I think the superciliousness is going to be a bigger challenge than the thing of blood.

    • j.eyre says:

      What don’t Hiddles nipples go with? I swear I could swing from those things.

      And don’t try to turn us all on with your fancy talk, TommyAnna and Tilda kissing has already jump-started my libido.

    • Anna says:

      He would never dismiss cries of passion. Those are never ‘common’ to him.

    • icerose says:

      The urge to apologise as he denigrates the common people will stupendous but Mother will be watching to keep him in line. Oh to be an ant under foot when the discussions on “‘He has no father, so he was raised by his patriotic mother. It’s odd that he’s so obsessively masculine — and this is 200 years before Freud” took place

  6. ag-UK says:

    I like Tom he was great OLLA, and I want to see the play but sold out so will try the live version on the 31st Jan. I think BC staying underground but have seen articles of him around last week in Brighton.

    • icerose says:

      OLLA was my favourite film this year and I am just waiting for general release. I got the second to last ticket so I am spending New Years eve in London.

  7. WendyNerd says:

    You know, people give Hiddles a lot of crap, but out of the many actors/actresses in Hollywood, he is apparently one of the few who is truly getting to do the work he wants to be doing. I haven’t seen him work in/promote a project yet that he hasn’t seemed to genuinely enjoy/be interested in. Is it really so wrong that he likes getting a lot of attention along with it? The worst he’s really done for attention is be a little annoying. At least he hasn’t been indulging in crazy drug-fueled antics, hurt anyone, said anything outright offensive or engaged in a ton of fakey PR relationships like some celebs I could mention. Say what you want about him, but he seems to be getting exactly what he wants and he isn’t pretending to be above it all or anything. He does work his ass off and he enjoys the work. Who cares if he enjoys attention as long as he isn’t lying about it or endangering himself or anyone else?

    In the last few years, he’s worked with Speilberg, Jarmusch, Swinton, Branagh, Whedon, Skarsgaard. He’s doing tons of Shakespeare, which he’s obsessed with. He’s one of the breakout stars of a franchise he’s enjoying, playing a character he obviously loves to play. He’s getting work he obviously wants and hasn’t put in any bad performances or phoned anything in. He’s doing good work, the work he wants to be doing, and he’s happy to shill for his projects as much as is wanted/needed. Even if he’s not necessarily humble, he is obviously grateful.

    Is he a press-freak? Yeah. Does he make a dork of himself constantly? Yes. Can he be cloying? Yes. Is he annoying sometimes? Definitely. But at least he doesn’t seem to be compromising himself in any way, doesn’t act condescending or above anyone or anything (a la Hemsworth, who seems to think he’s above promoting the franchise that put him on the map), works hard and isn’t hurting anyone.

    He’s a Polly Anna. But I’d rather have Polly Anna than Sean Penn, Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian or Chris Brown.

    • Miss Jupitero says:

      Let us not forget Pixie Hollow. 😉

      “He’s a Polly Anna. But I’d rather have Polly Anna than Sean Penn, Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian or Chris Brown.”

      +100,000,000

    • flavia_deluce says:

      This!!

    • Virgilia Coriolanus says:

      Well we all like to snark–it’s a lot more fun to snark on someone for being an attention ho, than it is to snark on an abuser. It’s a lot more carefree.

      And if all they could say about me, in Hollywood, was that I was an overeager puppy, then I’d think I’m doing pretty good.

    • lunchcoma says:

      He’s easy to snark on and I’ll send a little his direction now and then, but being overly happy and eager are far from the worst faults you find in celebrities.

      It does seem like he’s only doing things he actually likes and believes in, and while I wouldn’t mind seeing him in a few more movies than he does, I think that’s a good choice. I do have to say that I’m curious what would happen if he ever ended up in a project he had trouble supporting – not necessarily something he never liked, but perhaps a movie along the lines of The Counselor, that sounded like a good idea but ended up being a bad final product. Would he still be Pollyannaing it, or would he be uncomfortable with that? (I suppose I should stop that line of thought, as I wouldn’t wish a bad movie on anyone – the world has enough of them as it is.)

      • icerose says:

        Question is would it be a bad project if he was involved.??

      • lunchcoma says:

        I could see it happening. Like I said, I’m mostly thinking of The Counselor, a project that appeared to have all the talent in the world attached to it but that ended up being very bad due to an unexpectedly terrible script. Sometimes that happens to even the most talented of actors, and the usual result is to praise the performance while critiquing the movie.

        But now I feel bad for speculating, since I hope he never finds himself in that kind of position! I think I’ll stick to crossing my fingers that he gets lots of lovely roles in things he can feel proud about.

    • MissMary says:

      I kind of like seeing the adorkable enthusiasm rather than the “Oh, no, please! I am an artiste!” then the sulking and moping and raging at the press.

    • ThunderGoddess says:

      +100,000 his pictures are always about him acting or promotional tours or interviews….we don’t have any pics of Tom fiddling with his hair a la Aniston lol don’t get me started on
      Hemsworth either, used to like him but now.. Two movies and he thinks he’s above everything and everyone else… Pfft…

    • icerose says:

      yes yes yes. His work is always worth watching and he picks some great projects.He really seems to throw himself into what he does and his PR is far from boring. Even the short film, Out of Darkness, he had a small part in is winning awards. He never dishes other films/tv shows/actors unnecessarily. It always gets up my nose when actors start singling out actors to take pot shots in interviews.
      I am really excited by Crimson Peak not only because it has a great cast but because I think Tom is a great fit for quirky script. Add to that it’s Guillermo del Toro returning to hIs Pan’s Labyrinth roots.
      And yes he can be OTT at times and even a bit cringe worthy-but he is never petty, superior or mean in public anyway. I always remember Jeremy Irons saying how open he was and how he hoped that the fame would not change him and so far I think he is winning.

    • Miss Jupitero says:

      I also wouldn’t say he is doing “tons of shakespeare.” He is doing Coriolanus, and its the first time he has been on stage in five years.

      • WendyNerd says:

        He also did 3 parts of the Hollow crown playing Prince Hal/Henry V. It was a pretty big deal.

    • Maha says:

      I agree.
      Granted Tom’s not turning over films by the dozen, but he is choosy with his work. That may not be the only factor leading to a small amount of projects, but it is a big, big one.
      I have read an interview last month or so, where he emphasized he only chooses projects that he can connect with on some level, that he really is interested in.
      Also- Tom’s CV screams out “Quality, not quantity.” No matter what the size of the role is, he makes his mark. In just under 3 years he’s managed to go from not well known to working with Spielberg, Woody Allen, Jarmusch, Branagh, in quality roles, even if they’re not necessarily all blockbuster ones. He’ll be working with Guillermo next.
      I do wish he got more projects (perhaps he will, once OLLA is out and gathered critical acclaim, and once he’s done with Crimson Peak), but I am happy with the way he’s handling things, building a respectable body of work. He seems to be content with where he is right now- and ofcourse, quite grateful too.
      Let me say, I usually avoided CeleBitchy because of the snark Tom would get- but it has been really amusing to see people here go down the rabbit hole & eventually come through the other end. xD
      Comparing the way articles were written back to the way they’re written now, amazing!

      • Roberta says:

        @Maha I agree with you in the most part except with the choice of the Pixie Hollow film. You think he chose that because he connected with the role? Or maybe because he wasn’t getting any film work – at all. Shortly after he worked on that, Coriolanus was announced. The director said the negotiations had been going on for a year.

      • Janeite says:

        Don’t get too comfortable. He will still get plenty of snark here.

  8. Anna says:

    Alright, alright, he finally got me. I’m sprung. You happy now?

    Pollyanna? Him? Someone give me some proof. Maybe that’ll kill my love for him.

  9. Simmie says:

    Tommy in that t-shirt is doing things to me.

  10. Felice says:

    New Years Eve, son. Can’t wait to see it. 3rd Row.

  11. ncboudicca says:

    I like the gif of him running his mouth up the side of the popsicle. Oh yes.

  12. Janeite says:

    I LOVE these pics! I really hope Tom is a smashing success in Coriolanus and gets good reviews from the theatre critics. I’m a bit concerned about audiences full of fangirls with no interest whatsoever in Shakespeare so I hope that won’t be an issue.

    But yeah, Shakespeare is what brought me to Tom Hiddleston and I am very excited for this. I will have to drive about 30 miles to see it on screen in January but it’s so worth it.

    • LadySlippers says:

      Agreed. And this isn’t Shakespeare lite play either so my guess is many fans may not like this at all. Hopefully I’m wrong.

      • Virgilia Coriolanus says:

        It’s my favorite Shakespeare play–especially having to read only the romantic ones in school i.e. Romeo and Juliet.

      • Janeite says:

        LadySlippers and Virgilia, yeah, this is a GREAT play. As a long-time Shakespeare lover, I couldn’t be more pleased about this. The language is rich and complex; Hiddles fans who complained about not knowing what was going on in The Hollow Crown are definitely going to find this one a challenge.

    • icerose says:

      I think the UK is use to hoards of fans at Shakespeare performances. Tennant, Jude Law and McAvoy to name a few have been there before him. I was speaking to an elderly attender of the Donmar who has been a member for years recently and she said its all pretty run of the mill.

      • LadySlippers says:

        Good point. In Shakespeare literate places this isn’t an issue but I was thinking about ‘fangirls’.

        In all honestly I’m not as well versed in this play as others and before I went to a performance I’d read the play in its entirety (I’ve only read certain parts) and watch the Fienne’s movie (again) in order to get more comfortable with the language before attending. But that’s me as I want to get the most out of watching rather than trying to wade through the complexities during a live performance.

        @VC: Do tell, why is this your favourite play?!? So much so that you adopted the name. 🙂

      • icerose says:

        LadySlippers I think it just depends on your preference. I tend not to read a play in advance because I like the production to speak to me But I do think it depends on how familiar you are with the language .I went to see Marlow’s Edward 11 without knowing much about it and found I was able to pretty much understand everything. John Heffernan was brilliant in it and the way he spoke the language made it easier too understand.
        One of the best ways I find to familiarise yourself with the language and the plays is to read a synopsis and actually listen to a recording because the language seems to crystalize. Tom does have a reputation for making the language accessible so that will probably help those who fans who are unfamiliar with Shakespeare. Mind you I am hoping to see it twice-once just to concentrate on Tom’s performance and again to get an overall feel for the production.

      • Sage says:

        IceRose, do you have a favorite annotated or student edition of Coriolanus? I found a recording on CD (audio only) at my local public library and I have access to the Ralph Fiennes version on DVD. I suppose I could try to find my copy of the Riverside Shakespeare from my college days in a box in storage somewhere… but I’m not confident it has survived in one piece.

        BTW, will the play be performed in its entirety by the Donmar? For some reason, I thought most productions are typically condensed to meet the demands (attention span?) of modern audiences.

  13. Miss M says:

    @Kaiser: “Anyway, Hiddleston is still doing press! THANK GOD. I was going through Hiddleswithdrawals.”

    Kaiser, I don’t think you are a dragonfly. You sound more like a Hiddlestoner.

  14. Marty says:

    My only concern with Hiddles is I hope that all this accessability he’s allowing right now won’t come back to bite him when he gets REALLY famous. Which I have no doubt he will, but adorable can turn into something else real quick.

    • browniecakes says:

      or – with a REAL personal life he wants to keep personal. That ruins the will to be accessible too.

      • Roberta says:

        Mmm, the article above was in the Daily Fail – and Id say – along with the now defunct NOTW – the worst UK tabloid IMHO. I’m assuming Luke has connections there. They tried to do a scoop on Cumberbatch recently and couldn’t find any dirt.

      • icerose says:

        I think he keeps his personal pretty separate now.

  15. reggie says:

    has anyone submitted these to J J Abrams yet. he would make one hell of a jedi master.

    • Abby says:

      I don’t think JJ has any space left to take another British actor….the quota is being fulfilled by Cumberbatch, Chiwetel and Matt Smith (allegedly)

      • icerose says:

        Happy for Chiwetel but Cumberbatch and Matt just feel all wrong to me. Jason Flemming is the latest to hit the rumour mill. Rumour has it there have been some disagreements over casting.

      • Abby says:

        Icerose…I wasn’t even expecting you to agree on anything Cumberbatch related. We all know how you feel towards him.

        Like you don’t see Cumberbatch there I don’t see Hiddleston there either.

    • kaisei says:

      Plus Tom said in that Popcorn Taxi interview that, regretfully, no call was coming from JJ.

    • JWQ says:

      I like Tom, I hope he doesn’ t end up working with that jerk of Abrams. I am not even sure doing those movies would be a great career move! I hope he gets better offers than that!

      • icerose says:

        I think Tom has the light touch and comic timing which made the originals so much fun. I have never seen anything Abrams has directed but some of the reviews I have read for the StarTrek films have put me off him. I have only ever watched StarTrek/Star Wars sequels/prequels on TV and none of them grabbed me.

      • JWQ says:

        @icerose, I apologize in advance for the rant!

        He would be great as both jedi or sith, I know that! He can do campy like a pro, and that is exactly what “Star Wars” is! But even though they will be a box office success and I will watch them, I don’ t have much hope for the upcoming movies, and the fact that Abrams is set to direct (and will probably help with the script and the producing) doesn’ t cheer me up one bit! I don’ t like his attitude in general, and he has the tendencies of starting project in good or passable ways and then destroy everything with bad dialogue/storytelling, and I am not talking about the inevitable seasonal rot and decline of quality that everything faces at one point, but seriously cringeworthy stuff! Of course, everything is debatable and that is just an opinion, but I was a big fan of the first two/three seasons of “Alias” and “Lost”. They were really good shows at the beginning, and if they had stopped those at three seasons with a decent ending, I would call Abrams a genius, but he simply doesn’ t know hot to continue or/and end a story! He’ s good at starts, he sucks at keep going! I don’ t know if he just isn’ t that good or simply loses interest, but the fact that a couple of years ago had something like 6 projects going at the same time, makes me think the latter! I also think that after the last trilogy, the “Star Wars” cinematic franchise may be screwed beyond any hope!

        As for “Star Trek”… I am a big fan of the franchise since 1991! I was a kid when the second series of the franchise aired in my country, and grew up watching it almost religiously, and the same happened with the series that came afterwards and the original series that i watched on vhs (I am old)! I was one of the people who were mildly cautious about the reboot/remake but didn’ t utterly hated the idea, mostly because i wasn’ t alive when the original Kirk and Spock were on air and didn’ t take the recasting as personal offence (something I am sure will happen if they will reboot any other “Star Trek” series)! The first movie, the one he did in 2009, was not bad. It was not “Star Trek” but a “Star Wars” movie with an Enterprise instead of a Millennium Falcon, and it HAD lots of major flaws, but it was enjoyable and I really liked the cast. The second was, in my opinion, abysmal in every way conceivable! I will never understand why, in a franchise with thousands of novels, comics, videogames, hell, fanfictions even, that could’ ve been adapted and that have never been adapted with live actors, they decided to remake the one movie that is generally considered the best of the whole narrative universe! I don’ t like the characterizations of anyone in there, there are useless jokes, irritating sexism (I am a girl, in case you wondered!) and I had the feeling the actors didn’ t really know what to do with their characters and with the plot! As I said, I also don’ t like his attitude. I am sure he would be way more respectful with “Star Wars” than he was with “Star Trek”, mostly because he has repeatedly said that he loves “Star Wars” and, at best, doesn’ t care about “Star Trek”! He doesn’ t care that people didn’ t like the movie, he does not accept criticism, and still acts like he’ s the best thing ever!

        His whole attitude screams: “Who cares what nerds think, this is “Star Trek”!”, and “I am a better nerd than nerds because I like “Star Wars” and since it is the best thing ever I obviously have better taste and I am always right!”. He irritates me!

      • LadySlippers says:

        @JWQ: IMHO you are correct in your analysis of Abram’s work. My mother is a life long Trek fanatic. She reads & watches everything and is a walking Treklopedia (so much so that I corrected some Trekkies myself). His first ST film was fun but not great genre wise. STID was poorly handled all around (especially writing & plot). It would have made my mother hopping mad. So icerose, this is a director left alone. Some of his stuff is good & watchable and others is just…. A train wreck. To me it’s just too much of a gamble to get something good from him.

        My guess is Tom would still stump for a crappy movie. Bless his soul but Benedict did it with STID and both seem very willing to pull their weight in that regards.

  16. T.Fanty says:

    Hey Kaiser and CB,

    Did you find out if Coriolanus is playing near you?

  17. But Why says:

    My man

  18. Miss Jupitero says:

    So Kaiser, are TommyAnnE’s people sending you swag yet? You said they had contacted you sometime back.

  19. Mary-Rose says:

    Er guys…. http://torrilla.tumblr.com/post/67766134913/tom-hiddleston-during-the-rehearsal-of#notes
    I love the first picture. See how hot he looks dressed casual and without the orange? 😉

  20. flower19720 says:

    He looks good, looks like he’s bulked up a bit.

    Also, honey you already have an army.

  21. Shannon1972 says:

    Yay!! My day is complete. 🙂

  22. CookiesandCream says:

    He is a pretty good actor but he doesn’t seem to be getting the roles. The only thing in 2014 he will be filming so far is Crimson Peak. I hope he can get offered the roles this upcoming year unlike this past year. His contempories seem to be getting the roles while he had been left in the dust.

    • Algernon says:

      I’m a happy Hiddlestoner and while I think he gets lots of good work, I do realize he isn’t topping lists (yet). Marvel launched him, but he’s still earning his place.

      This, however, we need to talk about. “The only thing in 2014 he will be filming so far is Crimson Peak.”

      Guillermo Del Toro takes *forever* to make a movie. Pacific Rim was his shortest shoot, and it was 100+ days. Crimson Peak could easily end up taking up at least six months of Hiddles’ 2014. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t end up putting in something like eight or nine months on it, counting pre-production, stunt/SFX work (which is separate from principal photography and can tack weeks if not months onto an actor’s schedule), and pick-ups. Basically working for Guillermo Del Toro is like falling into a black hole. A geeky, geeky black hole.

      • CookiesandCream says:

        Crimson Peak shoot will be from Febuary to May. It is a small character driven movie, not a larger action like Pacific Rim. He only has a supporting role in it too. It should not take most of the year for Tom to do. I do hope he gets more roles so that he can show more of his acting chops.

      • lunchcoma says:

        He’s basically booked for the next six months, then. I’m hoping we hear some casting announcements as well, but it’s not as if he’s staring at a long period of unemployment.

      • Eve says:

        @ Algernon:

        I was REALLY disappointed when I read Cumberbatch had dropped out of “Crimson Peak” and had been replaced by TommyAnne. I mean no offense (even though I’m aware this will still sound offensive), but it felt like Del Toro went for the “budget Cumberbatch” once he couldn’t get the real thing. Sorry.

        But now that I’m warming up to him…I’m actually getting excited about it. I can see it now. I’m still a little skeptical, but it may work out after all.

        I LOVE Del Toro and trust his judgement. If he thought TommyAnne was right for the part, then he must have known what he’s doing.

      • icerose says:

        Yes but that’s why Tom is ideal an I think he understands quirky more than Cumberbatch. Tom is a very much the cenefile and his knowledge of all genres of films is both eclectic and substantial. He really puts his heart into his films and he loves the script. He is one of the four leads so it must be a fairly substantial part

      • lunchcoma says:

        I think sometimes people fret too much over role recastings. Benedict would have brought something interesting to the film, but Tom will as well. Del Toro isn’t a director who’s at a loss for talented actors to work with, so I doubt this is any sort of desperate or easy move. I think Tom might work quite well with him, since Del Toro is so fond of bringing myth and fairy tale into his work, and Tom’s interests seem to lie very much in that direction.

      • Eve says:

        @ Lunchcoma:

        Oh, the reason why I was upset about the recasting was simply the fact I’m a huge Cumberbatch fan, not because I dislike Hiddleston’s acting or because I freak out over recastings in general (for instance, I was one of the few who supported Marvel’s recasting of Bruce Banner/Hulk when Edward Norton’s behaviour became unbearable — and that’s my favourite character EVER).

        Sure, I think Cumberbatch is the better actor (my personal opinion) but Hiddles is fine, too.

        As I said…I can see it now. I’m hopeful. I’ve been too hard on Hiddleston in the (recent) past, now I’m going to give him a chance.

      • lunchcoma says:

        @Eve

        Oh, that makes sense! I certainly like to see my favorites as often as I can, especially in movies that I’d be going to see anyway. Luckily for Cumberbatch fans, he seems to have just a ton on his plate these days. I’m especially looking forward to seeing him as Alan Turing, both because I think he’s a talented actor and because I don’t think enough people are familiar with Turing’s story.

    • Tiffany says:

      Maybe that is a good thing as he can avoid over exposure. It will be a bit sad as there will be no new interviews.

    • icerose says:

      Yes but when he gets the roles he excels-I would rather have ten OLLAS than some of the block buster crap around. He as also admitted he is picky turning down parts that his agents say would be good for his career because they do not grab him.

    • Katie says:

      The male lead in CP is Charlie Hunnam and the female lead is Mia. Hiddleston, Beaver and Chastain are just supporting. Its release date isn’t until April 2015.

      The script was rewritten, so I have some hope now even though I’m not sure about Hunnam leading.

      [@lunchcoma

      The Imitation Game was one of the best biopic scripts I ever read and I didn’t even know anything about Turing beforehand. I really hope people go see it and get the story out there.]

      • lunchcoma says:

        I’m glad to hear it’s a strong script, and a little jealous that you’ve read it. I’m fond of science fiction and alternate history, and lots of authors like to work Turing into their stories, so I initially learned about him that way. I think he gets overlooked as a historical figure in an unfortunate way and his life is still incredibly relevant, so I’m glad that good people are working on the movie. I also hope people go to see it – I imagine for a little film, that would require some amount of awards buzz.

      • icerose says:

        The imitation Game script has been criticised because it minimises the role that the authorities played in his suicide and I read an interview with Benny where he said that it focuses more on his wartime achievements than his sexuality. I loved Derek Jacobi as Turing so it will take a lot to win me over to Benny’s performance.
        My understanding is that he has taken over Benny’s role in Crimson Peak which was then rewritten prior to his dropping out. Have you read the revised script. I never get the impression that Tom is that interested in the size of the role more the content and the director. If Chastain has taken a supporting part it must be a good script but only time will tell. Its interesting that Guillermo del Toro called Tom good leading man material or something like that in an interview.

      • Katie says:

        @icerose

        I know you hate Cumberbatch, but I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt because I think you’ve confused old crit of one of the many later drafts from when Leo D. was attached. Cumberbatch has never said that, just that they’re not ignoring one segment in Alan’s life for another (which is the right way to go about a biopic, balance).

        Matthew Goode, also in the film, summed up the script in a way I would agree with, tbh: “It’s more about Turing’s life and how as a nation we celebrated him as being a hero by chemically castrating him because he was gay.”

        I enjoyed Jacobi’s BTC performance too, but he was too old in appearance at 58 for the role. It was jarring in scenes where Alan was supposed to be in his late 20s.

        To answer your other question, I’ve never seen the revised CP script, just the original, which was bad and is what Chastain would have signed on with. However, the whole a ‘good’ actor would never sign onto a movie without a perfectly polished final script isn’t true. Scripts are changed constantly, even during filming; actors often sign on with no script or rough drafts based on the director’s pitch. There’s always a chance it won’t turn out right. Hiddleston, for example, signed on based on the revised CP script but it is reportedly back in rewrites yet again.

        I think, for me, script notwithstanding, having Hunnam as the romantic lead against Mia W. is not a good idea. He’s not a strong enough actor and it’s going to drag the movie down. Hiddleston would have been a better choice for the lead but the whole cast is unbalanced talent-wise.

  23. allons-y alonso says:

    Coriolanus has a few screenings next Feb in syd. I’ll have to be sure I get the day off to go and see it

  24. Janeite says:

    Thank you once again, Mary-Rose. So cool to see that First Folio edition. Pretty impressive.

  25. derpy says:

    Ugh wish they would go back to posting about cumberbatch and fassbender

  26. helen says:

    Hiddleston has admitted he doesn’t get a lot of offers. prob partly due to a lack of major critical “OMG” praise and awards

    Box office actors are the past now, you gotta impress the casting ppl in something complex. He needs to wow in a role outside of Loki. Deep Blue Sea, Rachel Weisz got all the praise. TCH, overshadowed by others in the cast; early reviews of OLLA are rating him solid but going crazy over Mia W

    I actually think he’s a better actor that what we’ve seen but hasn’t got the right showcase part yet? Marvel attention is good but comic franchises aren’t taken seriously and the box office is credited to the characters and never the actors outside of downey jr. I don’t think doing so much for Marvel (over his contracted obligation) instead of focusing on Coriolanus was the right move, his team is questionable. I know it’s not the West End or main RN theater, but still.

    • Janeite says:

      You make some good points, helen. Stateside, he is mainly known as Loki; none of his other film work is very widely known here. The more literary types are familiar with his Shakespeare work but that’s a pretty small percentage compared to the ones who know him as Loki.

      The Marvel attention and promotion are great but I think it will take more than that for him to have a real break-through role here in the U.S. It could be that he doesn’t care about that although I did read something elsewhere on this site that he went to Hollywood during pilot season when he was younger to see if he could get any work. But who knows for sure? He could have changed since then.

      • lunchcoma says:

        I’d be really surprised if he didn’t want to do more US film work, given the projects he’s accepted and been interested in lately. I’d agree he needs to raise his profile in the US as himself, and not just Loki, to do that he needs a big role of some type (either critically or commercially). The Del Toro thing will probably help, and I imagine he’s looking for roles after that.

    • LadySlippers says:

      I LOVED Tom in The Deep Blue Sea!

      • lunchcoma says:

        I adored him in that. I hated Freddie so much until that breakup scene where I really developed some sympathy for him as someone who was trying and who had the sense to put the brakes on a destructive relationship, and who then could flip back to his callous self and tell poor Hester to sell his golf clubs.

        That being said, I think it would be hard for him to stand up against Rachel Weisz in that movie. Everyone was great, but she got the bestest award.

    • icerose says:

      Sorry but all the OLLA reviews I have read and I have pretty much read them all say Tom and Tilda excellent. The odd review gives Mia a nod but basically the all say it is Eve/Adams film.
      Deep Blue Sea was taken from a play and the character of Freddie was written as pretty vacuous etc and Tom got it pretty much spot on although he did soften him at the end for a modern audience. But the film is basically about the Racheal’s more sympathetic character any way which is not to detract from her wonderful performance.
      Most of his awards are theatre and UK based bit I am curious as to where you took this quote “fOMG” praise and award as I have never heard him say anything and ii is not his style. Have you a link ?

    • FW says:

      @Helen “TCH, overshadowed by others in the cast” not sure which production you are referring to here. If it is The Hollow Crown, I would say cast such as Jeremy Irons, Simon Russell Beale just brought out the best of Tom rather than that Tom was “overshadowed”.

      I read all the reviews on OLLA from IMDb. Almost every piece is saying high of Tom and Tilda as a vamp couple. Mia has a very small role in OLLA. I didn’t see critics are going crazy on Mia (l like Mia a lot). Any links?

      • helen says:

        @ icerose

        I’m talking major critics, not fans. Many praised the movie itself but not with specific acting praise save Mia W. If they were blown away by Tom’s performance, they’d talk more pointedly about it (for example, you’ll see paragraph-long praise for Ejiofor’s performance in many 12YAS reviews).

        That doesn’t mean Tom was bad at all, just that his performance wasn’t something amazing enough to grab attention, which is often the case with his parts save Loki.
        As I said, i like tom, but he’s not been god’s gift in anything yet, looking forward to seeing it happen, i like to watch actors develop

        You also seem to have misunderstood up above. He’s admitted he doesn’t get a lot of good offers, but “prob partly due” is a separate sentence and my opinion, not a quote from him, sorry about that!

        @FW

        As for THC, other actors his age in different parts of thc were better, imo. Not necessarily saying I thought he’d match Irons or anything that’s not even fair, sorry I definitely wasn’t clear up there.

        Fan reviews are inherently biased. Check out RT for the early critic ones from TIFF:

        http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/only_lovers_left_alive/

        Mia was actually the only cast member to place individually high on TIFF’s exit polls. Now this is a very Jim J film, so people may have centered on Mia because she introduced some sort of action into the film. Otherwise there’s not much in the way of plot. That’s why it’s platform release only

      • icerose says:

        I agree. One of Tom’s strengths is that he is great at character interaction and he brings out the best in other actors. He did more than hold his hold his own in what was a very strong ensemble cast. Some of the actors involved said he brought tears to their eyes on the St. Crispin Day speech. He had very favourable reviews from the critics at the time whereas Simon Russell Beale got a lot of unjustifiable criticism.

  27. Lark says:

    I’m honestly surprised TommyAnne isn’t getting more “big” roles considering he’s well-received critically and has the “Loki” card, but I’ve heard several journalists mention that he’s probably being overlooked at WME and would have benefitted from not going to such a “big” agency. He looks adorable as usual. I wouldn’t be surprised though after his critical reception in Thor 2 and all if he starts getting “bigger” offers.

  28. FreeBunny says:

    He doesn’t work much because he’s not cast, not because he’s picky. He’s just not good or sexy enough compared to Fassbender, Hardy, Wishaw or Cumberbatch.

    It’s a mistake to think that because he’s part of a Marvel franchise, studios want to work with him. And he has been cast as Loki cause he was Brannagh protégé.

    He should have take his time to built a real career before Thor. The work he didn’t do before, he has to do it now.

  29. icerose says:

    @JWQ No need to apologise for a rant. I love a bit of passion in a discussion. I did not know Abrams was involved in Lost or Alias but as I lost interest in them after a season and a half so it does not improve my opinion of him. Reading the above I am quite happy to go on missing his work unless something comes up which really grabs me. I just never got into the new Star Trek although I loved the original series and Spock. When it all started up again my interests had moved onto theatre and healthcare. Star Wars I tuned into because of my kids and just loved the humour and general lightness but I had no urge to watch the prequels.
    I think Benny would be possible for a villain but I have yet to see him in anything in which his comic timing was evident. Sherlock’s humour is all about the character and he plays it with a great deal of dramatic intensity which is partly why it is so amusing. But otherwise I have never seen him in a light role although I may have seen something very early in his career about two people, one disabled going on a holiday. The clips I saw of Star Trek were very much about the voice projection and dramatic tension. I have never seen him play anything emotionally mercurial in the way that Ben Wishaw and Tom do,. But I am not saying he is not a good actor just that he tends to shine in more obviously dramatic roles. I do follow his career and like his performances. He was excellent in the last two episodes of Parade’s End. It’s just I prefer actors who have emotional resonance as opposed to the actors who seem to focus on a more repressed visceral approach at the expense of an underlying feeling of humanity. It was the main reason I marginally preferred Johnny Lee Miller’s performances in Frankiestin over Benny’s although the distance between them was pretty minimal.
    Tom I see more in a Hans Solo type role but I am sure this will not happen so Cumby is welcome to Star Wars if he gets a part and I am sure it will make his fans happy.

    • JWQ says:

      I always apologize for rants about “Star Trek” and people I don’ t like! I never know how long they will be!

      I agree with pretty much everything you said! I have seen Cumberbatch in something comedic only once, a mini-series called “Forty Something”, he was not awful, but not exceptional either! “Sherlock” tends to be funny because he overacts. I don’ t consider it a criticism, I think pretty much everyone in the show does it, it’ s the way they want to tell the story, and it works, but it has nothing to do with comedy in acting, more with the writing and the directing!

      I think Whishaw is a better actor than both BC and TH by far, despite me not being a big fan of him. As for BC and TH, I think they are on the same level, acting wise, the difference is, as you noted, that BC does more dramas and serious roles, TH does more comedy or campy roles, and for people and critics, drama > comedy! I disagree completely because I think that a good comedy actor is way more talented and has a way harder job than a good dramatic actor, but I am not a critic! I don’ t know why TH doesn’ t get more roles, if it’ s his choice or producers’, but I do believe that part of the reason is that he hasn’ t done enough dramatic roles, and the ones he did were too campy to be considered “real art”! I think the oscars are dumb and given to people who campaign for them instead of actually deserving them in the 99% of the cases, but they are still considered the most important acting award, and they reflect exactly what critics, other actors and the ones in the commission think about comedy: it’ s not important or respected enough!

      I am not sure TH would be good in a Han Solo type of character, but I agree it is never going to happen anyway. Even assuming he will get cast in the movies, for a character like that they need actors with completely different looks or acting abilities. He would be good as a jedi or sith apprentice, but for someone like Han Solo you need either people who are able to completely change their looks and presence, like Gary Oldman, for example, or someone who looks and carries himself like Robert Downey Jr., Tom Hardy, even Gerard Butler, as bad as he is, would be preferred to someone like TH or BC! Since Abrams likes to cast people he has worked with before in his projects, I think BC has more chances to do the new “Star Wars”, but I would prefer seeing Karl Urban (in a Han Solo type of role) or Simon Pegg!

      On a side note: were we both being cautious about talking about Cumberbatch or was that just my impression?

      • icerose says:

        I actually like Benny despite what people think but I do think he is over rated at the moment. The reason I think Benny could be cast is because of Abrams tendency to cast actors he has worked with and the rumours he fell out with the one of the producers over casting who interestingly was also a producer on the Hollow Crown.
        Most of what you wrote made sense. Tom has done more dramatic roles on stage but that does not help in Hollywood and like wise he played both a hero/and charmer in the Hollow Crown but I wonder how many Hollywood directors actually watched it. As to TW being Hans Solo it works for me more than the other actors you have suggested. A lot of it is about perception and acting.I do not see him as campy but the term has broad usage and tends to get bandied around to cover lots od styles. I do think Tom is difficult to cast as all his roles have been very varied in style and character. Ben does tend to get cast in bios or as English gentleman types

        I love Ben Wishaw to bits but from my perspective he and Tom are on the same level. Ben has been around a bit longer and has built up a larger CV but he has had some middle of the road performances. I had some issues with Richard the 11 -not with Ben’s performance but basically how imbalanced it was as a production. The combination of Ben’s performance, the editing and the middle of the road ensemble performances pretty much turned it into a stat turn. I recently saw Tennant’s Richard 11 and was more impressed with type production as a whole. But only time will tell if I am right and who receives the most acclaim in the future

      • JWQ says:

        In this situation, I used the word “campy” as in larger-than-life characters: they tend to be more comedic and/or exaggerated than the ones you find in dramas (usually), who are more subtle and realistic! For some reasons, an actor who plays a realistic role that could be very similar to his/her real personality is considered better than an actor who manages to play a character that is not realistic without making people cringe! I have always considered Han Solo a unique but realistic character. He’ s the charmer of the situation, but he’ s not out of the norm, personality-wise!

  30. moon says:

    Meh, so miscast. He’s better off as Iago. Or one of the lovers in Midsummer. Definitely not Romeo. Maybe Richard III.

  31. icerose says:

    @Roberta My guess is he ttook the pixie film because he gets to sing in it and he does love to sing.

    • icerose says:

      It depends on how you see it I do not find Benny sexy although I do enjoy his performances and although Fassbinder is good looking he does not set my toes curling. Ben Wishaw and Tom on the other hand may lack what is considered to be traditionally good looking biut they rock the sex appeal .

  32. icerose says:

    @Roberta see my comments. I am a fan of his work and will see most of what he has done barring Star Trek because I am not a follower and Assange because I dislike the tone of the film.Just because you are critical of someone’s work does not mean you do not like them.

    • Roberta says:

      @Icerose I’m sorry I’d don’t understand your posts, it looks like you’re replying to several comments at once.

  33. Vera says:

    Hiddles in that shirt. *sigh* I think I need a moment alone with that photo. 🙂

  34. jferber says:

    It’s true that, so far, I’ve only seen him as Loki, but his charisma and sex appeal really floored me, and I’m pretty immune to the charms of most hunky actors. The first time I saw Bill Clinton speak on television, I felt that same charisma and sex appeal– when he was still governor of Arkansas. Also, I felt the same when I saw Brad Pitt in Thelma and Louise. Riveting, I think, is the word. So yes, I’d love to see him in more roles, whatever he chooses to play. Also, I don’t quite get why some people call him Tommy Anne? Is this a reference to his sexuality (though I have no idea what his preferences are and couldn’t give a damn either way)? If so, I think it’s pretty rude and homophobic and deserves no place on this site.

    • Mary-Rose says:

      TommyAnnE- Pollyanna + AnnE Hathaway

      Pollyanna because of his liking to please people

      AnnE Hathaway because he can be a bit of a try hard

    • flower19720 says:

      Jferber, the TommyAnne thing has nothing to do with homophobia or Tom’s sexuality, it has to do with Anne Hathaway and her behavor and how people think Tom has been behaving lately.

  35. Mary-Rose says:

    In the meantime here’s TommyAnne attempting to sing at a charity gala last night. Ihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyylUqBLj8I
    don’t know if its the recording or the live band but you can sort of hear him.
    I wish he’d stick to Shakespeare recitals or dancing at events like these because although I’m a great fan of his, I’m not of his singing voice. Sorry

    • icerose says:

      thanks for the link to the charity gig. The video quality is so poor and the actual time you see him performing so brief you cannot really here him singing let alone know what he was like but from the applause it sounds like he was well received

  36. icerose says:

    @Sage I just bought the Cambridge Student Guide and a copy of the play. Its a quick guide so not much effort required,.I am skimming through the guide to pick out key speeches and then I will just let it go and just enjoy the performance and let it speak to me on an emotional level .
    After watching it I will use both to check out anything that puzzled me in the performance and then watch the live broadcast to se if it changes my perception.

  37. icerose says:

    @Helen I have read every review from all the festivals it has played at including Cannes as well as Meta critic and all the Rotten Tomatoes plus some internet review sites that I trust and the common consensus is that Tom and Tilda sell the film. Not saying that Mia and Anton do not get some praise but the bulk has focused on the two leads. Rotten Tomatoes only has 19 professional reviews. I have probably read over 100 and have been tracking it since Cannes.I follow major critics, film festivals and read up on most of the serious films that come out.

  38. icerose says:

    @Katie The comments I read about the script were some time ago as were Ben’s comments re the script and the inclusion of the p[arts of his life after the war. He was very specific about the. script focussing on his contributions to the war more than his sexuality .That I remember very clearly as it was what made me read it.

    Derek Jacobi was cast at a time when there was not as much emphasis was on the actor and the performance and not the how similar they looked. Turing was seen in flashback so age was not that big of an issue and it certainly did not bother me at the time. Most important was that Jacobi was able to put over his intelligence and vulnerability. May be Benny will be able to do this as well it remains to be seen. I do like Mathew Goode as well so will probably go see it. But Jacobi is a brilliant actor with a long list of great performances and awards whilst Ben is still making a career for himself.

    And for the record I do not hate Benny. Criticism does not equal hate or even dislike in my book. I have watched most of the stuff he was in including all his earlier one off TV appearances on Ruth Rendal or one of those detective shows etc. which does not seem to be on his CV. He is excellent in Sherlock and he has been lucky to get a part underpinned by some great writing. It has kick started his Hollywood career. He delivers good performances in most of what he does but not everything but as I have said his acting is not my preferred style and I do not find him particularly attractive despite the usual makeover that comes with stardom.

  39. Sage says:

    Here’s a fun & funny interview from The Nerdist podcast with Chris Hardwick. Bonus points for Hiddles (sort of) singing The Rolling Stones, speaking with a Scottish accent (his father & grandfather), and a little French in the end. It’s about 50 minutes long. http://www.nerdist.com/2013/11/nerdist-podcast-tom-hiddleston/