by Tom Hiddleston has cemented himself as one of the most talented and beloved actors of his generation. From his breakthrough role as Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to his celebrated performances in films like Crimson Peak and Midnight in Paris, he has proven himself to be an incredibly versatile and captivating performer.
But beyond his acting achievements, Hiddleston is also admired for his intellect and profound appreciation for literature. He is an avid reader who has spoken eloquently about the books that have shaped him as a person and artist. For Hiddleston, the written word holds immense power to inspire imagination, instill empathy, and illuminate the human condition.
In interviews over the years, Hiddleston has cited numerous books as being profoundly impactful on his life and work. A handful stand out as the most seminal based on how effusively and frequently he has praised them. These five books seem to have resonated with Hiddleston on a truly life-changing level:
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy trilogy has captivated readers for generations with its immersive world-building, sweeping scope, and timeless themes of good versus evil, fellowship, and perseverance. Hiddleston fell in love with Middle Earth as a child, when his mother would read The Hobbit to him as a bedtime story. He became enthralled by the extensive universe Tolkien crafted in The Lord of the Rings and awed by the author’s powerful imagination and mastery of storytelling.
Hiddleston has said that Tolkien’s works taught him that great fiction has the ability to make people better, reminding us of how courage and friendship can conquer the darkest forces. The books’ lessons on courage, loyalty, and sacrifice have stayed with Hiddleston and continue to inspire his approach to acting and life. He has credited the character of Gandalf as an early inspiration for his desire to become an actor so he could inhabit profound, meaningful stories.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
This beloved sci-fi comedy introduced Hiddleston to a more modern genre of imaginative fiction and made him a lifelong fan of witty British humorists like Adams. What drew him in was Adams’ irreverent, absurdist view of the universe, his deft satirizing of society, and the laugh-out-loud humor the writer infused into this zany adventure.
Hiddleston appreciates the book as a creative examination of existential themes like finding meaning in a chaotic world. He’s stated that The Hitchhiker’s Guide and its sequels taught him the value of laughing in the face of life’s absurdities and not taking oneself too seriously. Adams expanded Hiddleston’s understanding of literature’s capacity for joy and playfulness while still addressing profound philosophical questions. This book showed him how fiction can be fun and intellectually stimulating at the same time.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Hiddleston first read Salinger’s classic coming-of-age novel as a teenage student, and it resonated with him deeply, as it has done for millions of readers since its publication. As an adolescent grappling with notions of authenticity and identity, Hiddleston connected with Holden Caulfield’s struggles to find himself amidst the “phoniness” of the adult world.
He appreciated Salinger’s unflinching yet compassionate examination of Holden’s mental state and found catharsis in the character’s search for meaning. Hiddleston has spoken about how The Catcher in the Rye captured the intensity and confusion of youth in a way he’d never experienced in literature before; it made him feel less alone in navigating that tumultuous period of life. The book instilled in him the power of thoughtful, character-driven fiction to elicit empathy and self-reflection.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Hiddleston lists Fitzgerald’s 1925 masterwork among the seminal books of his life for the exquisite writing style and tragic love story at its heart. He admires the novel’s poignant themes of longing, loss, and the elusiveness of dreams. The social critique on wealth and excess in the Jazz Age also resonated with Hiddleston, as it captured issues still relevant today.
Most of all, Hiddleston praises Fitzgerald’s crystalline prose and the gorgeous lyricism of lines like: “He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.” He finds immense inspiration in the beauty and emotion Fitzgerald brought to his storytelling; The Great Gatsby showed Hiddleston the heights great writing can achieve.
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
As a student at Cambridge University and then RADA, Hiddleston received a world-class education in Shakespeare’s works. Among the Bard’s greatest plays, Hamlet has long been Hiddleston’s favorite for the complexity of its themes and Prince Hamlet as one of literature’s most compelling characters. From a young age, he felt drawn to the play’s philosophical depth and to Hamlet’s moving indecision and grief.
Hamlet was the first Shakespeare play Hiddleston ever saw performed, and he found himself weeping in the audience as a 10-year-old, overcome by the tragedy unfolding on stage. That experience cemented his love of Shakespeare and desire to act in his works. Hiddleston also calls Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 film version of Hamlet a huge inspiration that further fueled his passion for the play and for acting. Hamlet has remained for Hiddleston the pinnacle of drama, poetry, and insightful examination of the human psyche.
Beyond these five pillars, Hiddleston has also spoken effusively about many other books and authors he admires. From literary legends like Dickens, Austen, and Henry James to modern masters like Hilary Mantel, Hiddleston’s tastes are eclectic and sophisticated. He loves fiction that offers both entertainment value and layers of deeper meaning.
Poets who have resonated strongly with Hiddleston include John Keats for his romanticism, William Blake for his vivid imagery, and Philip Larkin for his emotionally raw humanism. He’s also an avid reader of biographies and memoirs, praising titles like Speak Memory by Vladimir Nabokov and Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela for their insightful look into remarkable lives.
Throughout his career, Hiddleston has chosen projects often rooted in literary adaptations, from playing the brooding Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre to voicing introspective characters in audiobook narrations of Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and Casino Royale. Even in blockbusters like Thor and Kong: Skull Island, Hiddleston brings his literary background to create complex, layered characters far beyond the screenplay’s confines. His love of the written word manifests itself on screen through his nuanced, thoughtful performances.
Beyond the arts, Hiddleston’s passion for reading has shaped his worldview and personality in profound ways. It has nurtured his intellect, imagination, empathy, and depth of spirit. It has taught him lessons about courage and loyalty, laughter and wisdom. Literature has molded Tom Hiddleston into one of the most eloquent, insightful, and inspiring actors and public figures of our time. His own words sum it up best:
“Every time I stand on a stage, or on a film set, I’m still that wide-eyed, curious, hungry 10-year-old who saw Hamlet and wept because I couldn’t understand how such a thing could exist… I feel so blessed that I get to do it because life is so short and plays and films and stories are a way of reaching out to each other to understand each other.”
