Dear Tom Hiddleston,
Oh bless you. With the news that you are finally back on the dating scene – and with one of the most famous women in the world to boot – I’m betting it’s a pretty hectic time for you at the moment. In all honesty, I can’t say I reacted to the phenomena that is ‘Hiddleswift’ as well as I might have liked to – but that’s not why I’m here. This is not a grovelling, pathetic rant about why ‘if you wanted a 20 something who likes cats, you should have picked me’ (even though the closest I’ve ever been to you is Row C of the Nuffield Theatre). I’m here because I feel that with this intrusive revelation, the world’s media isn’t treating you as it should. I mean for heaven’s sake; you’re a RADA trained, BAFTA nominated actor, who has appeared in one of the biggest franchises in the history of cinema, and all they care about is how much you spent on the shoes you wore at that beach. Well, I may not ‘ship’ you and Taylor, but let me tell you – I appreciate the hell out of your abilities as an actor.
Image via marvel-movies.wikia.com
Like the majority of audiences, I first discovered your talents in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, wherein you have made an indelible mark as everybody’s favourite villain, Loki. Before you and that horn-helmeted mischief-maker turned up, I think it’s safe to say that Marvel’s villains were pretty average. With the exception of maybe Magneto (who technically belongs to 20th Century Fox anyway), the villains before Loki were… perfectly functional in their antagonistic roles, but they were nowhere near as multi-dimensional as your characterisation. Now don’t get me wrong, Loki can be vicious; manipulative; cunning; cruel even… but he also has a vulnerability like no other. And the way you play to this emotional antithesis, bringing the character’s torn and anguished insecurities to light in the subtlest of ways, is just phenomenal.
When I think of Loki’s motivations, the scene from Thor in which he discovers his true parentage, always comes to mind in the most powerful way – I truly think that is your best Loki scene, Hulk-smashing aside. The horror and the desperation that you evoke as you spit the words: “Because I-I’m the monster that parents tell their children about at night?” is just so hauntingly potent. And of course, as the God of Mischief, you have also managed to still, despite the aforementioned trauma, bring a sense of darkly coated humour to the role that fans have lapped up with abandon. For this, you should be immensely proud and I have no doubt that when you return to the role in Thor: Ragnarok, we will be just as loco for Loki as we are now. If not more so.
Image via wallpart.com
But of course, you’re not just Loki. Though your other roles are perhaps a little more subdued, they have still been consistently engaging. One of your most underrated roles is as Rachel Weisz’ lover, Freddie Page, in Terrence Davies’ The Deep Blue Sea. Though we are with Weisz’ morose Hester Collyer for the majority of the film, your inter-dispersing appearances as the dashing, yet tormented RAF veteran are electric. One minute, Freddie is a deeply passionate and romantic man, who arrests Hester with his charm. But then, quite suddenly, his temperament manifests into something far more incendiary, as he spits out angry acronyms (“FUBAR: Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition!”) and charges out of rooms in a fierce rage. As with Loki, you balanced the emotional antithesis of the character brilliantly, whilst also bringing an Errol Flynn-like presence to the film.
It’s funny, but you seem to play psychotic gentlemen rather well. In both Crimson Peak and the more recent High Rise, you’ve played characters who possess both an archaic, grand sort of nobility and a fiercer, far less civilised inner nature. In High Rise particularly, the evolution of Robert Laing is quite something to behold, as he goes from respected Doctor to slightly crazed, dog-eating survivor. The supermarket scene, in which he bludgeons a man with a tin of paint before semi-comically declaring “IT’S MY PAINT” is a personal favourite. Moving away from the psychotic gentry to a slightly different, but no less noble character, I also very much enjoyed your performance as Adam in Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive. Playing this depressed, bohemian vampire was a little different to what you’d done before, but you owned it and the chemistry between you and Tilda Swinton’s Eve was incredibly potent.
There are dozens of other performances you have made that I could speak at length about – from your recent turn as Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager, to your short but powerful appearance in War Horse. I could even sing praises about your voice role in The Pirate Fairy (It would be to some embarrassment on my part, since I really don’t think I was in that film’s key demographic…), but I think I’ve made my point. If there’s going to be a reason that you’re so talked about at the moment, I honestly believe it should be about your abilities as one of the best actors of your generation – and not just on how your talents pertain to you potentially taking on Bond either. (You’d be great, obviously, but talk about pressure!)
So there you have it; I do hope you’re happy in your personal life, but more importantly, I hope you keep dazzling us onscreen with your immense talents (and on occasion, your very lovely bottom) for many years to come.
14 Comments
This is such a beautifully crafted article, thank you for that. It’s our great fortune to have experienced the art this man has created over the past six years. And his career has really just begun. Thank you for bringing the focus back to the artist and his work, I loved reading your piece.
Thank you for writing this as I feel you have represented his fans’ feelings perfectly. And as for this relationship… it is Tom’s life and he needs to live and play as well as work!
It’s just a little fun… right, my friend?
Well said. I would still be a fan no matter what.
Thanks so much for this.
The narrative is really spinning out of control, and there’s no version of it that’s good for him. I have no idea what’s actually happening, but it’s just about impossible to believe the photo op wasn’t orchestrated by T Swift, who is an Olympic-level athlete in the sport of pulling the strings of the media, and who had plenty of motivation to do so. And it’s hard to believe TH was on board, given how extremely private about romance he’s been in the past. Maybe he was in on it. If so, sad. If not, sad. He’s either very calculating or very naive, and neither is a good look… though I guess I’m rooting for naive. Neither seems at all like the TH we know (or think we know). It’s surprising and confusing to the point of being disorienting.
Thanks again for this reminder of why we find ourselves caring about any of this. His talent. Hard to watch the media treat the man who turned in a great Henry V (and Adam from Only Lovers Left Alive!) like fresh meat for America’s foremost maneater. No matter, time will pass and his talent will outlive all of this silliness.
I wish him only happiness and success — and you, too! A lovely write up.
I appreciate your point of view so much and feel the same. This whole situation has brought out a protectiveness for TH that I suppose is the result his performances and countless videos that we have all seen. He is so incredibly talented and obviously impacted us on a deep level and I think that is what makes this situation so jarring. It just doesn’t fit how we have come to “know” him. I wish him nothing but the best but at the same time hope he remains unscathed as he and his talent are too precious to be discounted in any way. I am so looking forward to his future work. He has a depth and range that that is phenomenal.
When I first viewed the “pap” pics I assumed it was a promo shoot for a product line or an album, some commercial venture. The scene is on Taylor’s estate and the security there makes pap photos unlikely unless pre- arranged by her estate. The photos of Tom boarding a private plane with a less than pleased look on his face, leaving Taylor well behind to navigate the puddles and bags on her own, is so unlike Tom’s gracious norm that I’ve come to certain conclusions that aren’t all that favorable to Ms. Swift. And yes, I do think Tom was naive in this case, being blessed with a very sweet nature. At the moment when Emmy nominations are ramping up and Tom’s performance in Night Manager has him A-listed, he’s now going to be bombarded not with questions about his acting skills or the remarkable production of such a piece, but instead about Taylor Swift. To quote Adam, “what a drag”.
Well said. my thoughts exactly.
Excellent article Anneka! Hope T. H. Catches it. I first saw T.H. on Graham Norton’ show on BBC, “oh my,” to say the least. Sooooo intriguing, and such presence. Sure hope he doesn’t get sidelined by Hollywood.
I was so amazed that he had already had so many films, and that I had seen him in other projects. You like to hope the really “good ones” will surface unscathed. Can’t say I get the Swift dalliance, hopefully a short pause along a path of progress of the great ones.
At 76, very obviously not the target demographic, I may be somewhat stuck on the acting ability, but packaging never ceases to amaze, and he has it ALL!
Well said. I am so disgusted with these dumb haters. Tom is such an amazing man. His acting ability and his generosity. Does he not deserve to be happy. If you cannot support him, you are not his true fan. Thank you for your words.
Beautiful i agree with you he’s much more than just Taylor’s New boyfriend and we, the true fans know it, so we still with him and for him, we together all the Hiddlestoners stand up for our man who’s been atacked for people that doesn’t know how special and great actor he is, always here for him because i love him and i love he’s work.
Tom knows who is true fans are. He will always be our Thomas. This will just strengthen the bond between him and his true fans. ????
After I read your letter to Tom, I thought to myself how bad I’ve been thinking about him. It’s true. I shouldn’t think about who he’s dating because the very first reason why I fell so much in love with him is through his acting. He’s the only actor in the world who has captivated my heart completely. Therefore, I would also like to apologize to Tom Hiddleston for trying to forget about him a few days. I was shocked about his news with Taylor Swift but it doesn’t matter anymore. Because of this letter, I changed my way of thinking. I may not be the one by his side but at least I can appreciate him from a distance and the view here is great! I want to be a genuine fan for him so I’ll love him still. I will never stop loving you, Tom. Please keep up the good work and never lose that magic of yours to bring fire to our mind, heart and soul.
I’m so proud of my successor <3
Thank you kindly o’ fearless predecessor <3