by Actor Tom Hiddleston has made a name for himself playing some of the most compelling villains in recent cinema.
From Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to The Night Manager’s Arch Coble, Hiddleston brings an inimitable complexity and depth to even the most nefarious of characters. With his knack for crafting layered antagonists, it’s no surprise that the British star has given quite a bit of thought to the types of villainous roles he finds most intriguing.
In a recent interview, Hiddleston opened up about some of his dream roles – the kinds of villains that really pique his interest both as an actor and as a fan of the genre. “There are certain archetypes that I find endlessly fascinating to explore,” he shared. “Villains who operate in the shadows, who believe themselves to be heroes in their own stories, or who exploit real world systems of power – those are the roles I’d love to sink my teeth into.”
One archetype Hiddleston finds particularly compelling is the behind-the-scenes manipulator – the villain who pulls strings from the shadows. “Someone like Rasputin has always interested me,” he explained. Grigori Rasputin was the infamous Russian mystic and advisor to Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra in the early 20th century. Though he held no official title, Rasputin wielded immense influence over the royal family and rumors swirled of his manipulation of events behind the scenes.
“The ability to control things without being directly involved is so creepy but fascinating as a concept,” Hiddleston noted. “To play someone like Rasputin, who had the royal family wrapped around his little finger but stayed mostly in the background, would be tremendously appealing as an actor. The layers of intrigue and manipulation you could bring to such a role are endless.”
Hiddleston sees parallels between Rasputin and the character he’s perhaps most known for – Loki of Asgard from the Marvel films. “In many ways, Loki operates in a similar vein. He pulls strings from the shadows, manipulating others and events to suit his own agenda. But Rasputin was a real historical figure operating in our world, which adds another layer of complexity.”
The actor also finds real-world historical villains appealing because there is often ambiguity to their intentions and actions. “With fictional characters, there can be a clear-cut sense of them being purely ‘evil.’ But with real people, especially controversial figures from the past, there are usually shades of gray. Their motives may have been complex or even somewhat justified in their own minds. That ambiguity is fascinating to explore from an acting perspective.”
Hiddleston sees room to bring nuance and understanding even to the most notorious of real-life antagonists. “You have to find the humanity in all characters, even villains. I think there’s an opportunity with someone like Rasputin to show how he perhaps rationalized his actions or thought he was helping Russia in his own twisted way. Bringing dimensionality like that is so rewarding as an actor.”
In addition to manipulators operating behind the scenes of history, Hiddleston is also drawn to villains who walk the line between hero and anti-hero. “I’ve always been interested in the idea of an anti-hero with a questionable moral code,” he mused. “Someone who truly believes they are the protagonist of their own story, even if their methods are questionable.”
This type of ambiguous antagonist is reminiscent of Loki to some degree. As Hiddleston explained, “Loki certainly sees himself as the hero of his own narrative. He’s a trickster with fluid motives who will do whatever it takes to come out on top, consequences be damned. Playing that level of complexity within a character is tremendously gratifying as an actor.”
The role that really captures this anti-hero archetype for Hiddleston is Walter White from Breaking Bad. “Bryan Cranston’s performance as Walter White is nothing short of masterful,” he praised. “To see this seemingly mild-mannered high school teacher transform into a criminal kingpin yet still make you understand and relate to his motivations – it’s just brilliant storytelling.”
Hiddleston sees parallels between Walt and the kinds of roles he’s drawn to. “Walter truly believes he’s providing for his family, that his actions are justified. And you understand why he feels that way even as he spirals further into darkness. That ability to walk the line between hero and villain is so compelling. I’d love the challenge of a role that lets me explore those shades of gray.”
Of course, Hiddleston recognizes the immense difficulty of such an undertaking. “It would be no easy task to make a character committing truly heinous acts still feel sympathetic. But that’s what makes it an attractive challenge as an actor – to make audiences understand even the most monstrous of people.”
In addition to historical figures and ambiguous anti-heroes, Hiddleston is also drawn to modern-day villains who exploit real systems of power. “Someone manipulating the cutthroat world of corporations or media could be tremendously interesting,” he mused.
The actor sees parallels in such roles to characters like Arch Coble from The Night Manager. In the BBC miniseries, Coble is an elegant yet sinister arms dealer who knows exactly how to work the system to his advantage. “Coble was such a compelling villain because he understood how to manipulate situations using both charm and ruthlessness. He knew which strings to pull and which laws he could bend to get what he wanted,” recalled Hiddleston.
“A character like that operating in today’s world could be tremendously appealing – someone at the top of a major corporation or media empire who understands how to work the system and abuse loopholes. They’d believe they were just playing the game to win, even if ordinary people get hurt along the way. Exploring that kind of rationalization and amorality would be fascinating.”
Of course, bringing nuance and understanding even to such an unscrupulous character would be a tremendous acting challenge. But that’s exactly what draws Hiddleston to these roles. “As an actor, you have to get inside the mind of any person, no matter how monstrous their acts may seem. Finding the humanity is key. I think these kinds of modern manipulators – if written and performed properly – could allow for exploring really interesting themes about power, morality and human rationalization.”
While Hiddleston remains tight-lipped about any definite future projects, it’s clear he has given significant thought to the types of villainous roles that excite him. Whether historical manipulators, ambiguous anti-heroes, or modern exploiters of power – these are the kinds of complex, layered antagonists that the acclaimed actor finds most compelling.
With his proven ability to bring nuance and dimension to even the darkest of characters, one can only imagine the captivating performances Hiddleston might bring to these dream roles. It will surely be fascinating to see if any of these intriguing concepts make their way to the screen with Hiddleston at the helm. Wherever his villainous career may lead, fans can rest assured the actor will continue delivering compelling, unforgettable antagonists for years to come.
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