Elle UK: A God Among Men? (2014)

January 30, 2014: 

Tom Hiddleston: A god among men? Accurate. Tom gave a glimpse of the man behind the myth in a very revealing profile with Elle UK. They interview gave insights into teenage Tom, romantic Tom, dancing Tom, and the Tom who finds the word f*ck enormously satisfying. Perhaps it was a little too revealing (cough Trousergate cough). In his 2017 interview with Style Magazine Italia Tom mentioned that he felt very embarrassed after reading this - particularly the story about his first kiss - and that's part of the reason he's so reluctant to talk about himself.  

You can read the full interview here. I posted some of my favorite quotes below: 

• Talking about growing up in a family full of women: "I believe in the strength and intelligence and sensitivity of women. My mother, my sisters [they] are strong. My mum is a strong woman and I love her for it."
• Talking about relationships: 'Honesty is a gift – to be honest about who you are and how you feel – because it encourages intimacy, and intimacy is really where's it at. To be known and know someone is an amazing feeling, and you don't get there if you're pretending to be anyone else.'
• Talking about his character, Adam, in Only Lovers Left Alive: 'Adam is a delicate soul... Adam is so deeply flawed, and depressive, and melancholic. But Eve just loves it, loves his commitment to it. We were trying to make a film about acceptance. And true love is an acceptance of someone else for who they are.'
• Describing himself as a boyfriend: 'Very honest, I hope. God, I don't know. I hope I'm fun, I hope I'm a good time. Sponta- neous, surprising, affectionate? I hope, kind. Dancing... a lot of dancing. I insist upon dancing. Anywhere. Anytime. The more dancing, the better.'

Accompanying the interview was a photoshoot with Sarai Mari. The photoshoot was styled by Molly Haylor, who went with a casual urban-wear theme. Grooming was done by Caroline Barnes. She used Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream ($30) and Bumble and Bumble Dry Shampoo ($29) to create Tom's flawless look. 

Black wool coat by Giorgio Armani, £1,819. Navy cotton t-shirt by Hugo Boss, £105. Blue denim jeans by A.P.C., £125. 

Silk-mix jumper by Karl Lagerfeld, £150. Black wool coat, £345, and blue and cream trainers cotton and leather trainers, £255, both by Dolce & Gabbana. Blue denim jeans by A.P.C., £125. 

In a bonus picture released Tom Hiddleston is wearing a special edition David Bailey x The Bleach Room for Selfridges t-shirt. 

See you in Elle! In promotion of the interview, Elle released a video of Hiddles going full parkour and free running around London. "I feel very myself when I am running". Tom's jogging outfit should look familiar since he's repeating most of the items he wore for Coriolanus rehearsals. He's also wearing an American Apparel Flex Fleece Zip hoodie ($38). It looks darker than the Heather Grey version of the hoodie Tom has been seen in more recently but that could be the lighting. 

They also released several behind the scenes images. 

Tom even played DJ during the photoshoot. He was listening to the Annie Mac Presents 2012 playlist. You can listen to the full playlist on Spotify. 

February 18, 2014: 

Tom Hiddleston's celebration with Elle continued when he was honoured with the Man of the Year Award. Tom was in Canada working on Crimson Peak so Richard E. Grant presented and accepted the award on his behalf. They have a great real life and twitter friendship! 

Tom sent in a fun drunken and heartfelt video message thanking Elle for the award and hoping that one day he can "live up to the name". 

Credits: 

Elle UK
Sarai Mari 
Behind the Cover
Frank Agency

BBC Radio 2: The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show (2019)

January 18, 2019: 

Tom Hiddleston joined Saoirse Ronan and musical guests Years & Years on BBC Radio 2's The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show. This is only Zoe's second week as host, after replacing Chris Evans. She is the first ever female hosted of the show! You can listen to the full show here. The celebrity interviews begin at 1:40:00. 

Tom Hiddleston was on the show to discuss his upcoming role in Harold Pinter's Betrayal. The show runs from March 5 - June 1 at the Harold Pinter Theatre.  Tom describing the play: "It's really about three intimate relationships: a marriage, a romance, and a friendship. And they're all connected in quite a complicated way. Anyone who's been in a relationship will be able to understand what goes on in this play. It's about intimacy and the things we do because we need it and we crave it and we runs towards it. And also the things we do to avoid it because it's frightening. And it's quite profound."

Tom was asked if they'd started rehearsals yet and said no, the three main actors had never even been in the same room yet. He mentioned that he and Charlie Cox had just been at ACE Comic Con in Arizona, and they had known each other for years, "We use to meet standing outside auditions that none of us would get."  Tom also announced that £15 tickets will be made available to young people, students, teachers, nurses, and those on job seekers allowance! (Charlie told me at ACE that they don't start rehearsals until February)

Zoe also asked about updated on The Night Manager and the Loki series. Tom said that it was all still in the hands of John le Carre and his sons to continue the story, "I'm curious to see what materializes." As for the Loki series, "Time will tell."

Saoirse Ronan joined the chat to talk about her role in Mary Queen of Scots. The film was directed by Josie Rourke who also directed Tom in Coriolanus. During the JW3 Conversation, Tom described the film as "It's absolutely breathtaking, I found it emotionally overwhelming in a way I didn't expect." Saoirse also mentioned that she met Tom when he presented her with an award. (I think she was referring to the time they presented the BAFTA for Best Production Design together in 2013) 

Tom Hiddleston had a past connection to another guest. Years & Years is fronted by Olly Alexander. They were both featured in Screen International's Stars of Tomorrow in 2008!

The 10 Year Challenge +1

Tom seemed to be thoroughly enjoying Olly and his band's performance of their song, Play. 

Some fan questions: 

Tom and Saoirse, what you're favorite of each other's work? Saorise said Loki or The Night Manager. Tom said Lady Bird. 

What was your most memorable career moment? The Hulk Smash. 

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Tom previously appeared on The Chris Evans Breakfast show alongside Ed Sheeran, Anthiony Middleston, and Angela Scanlon in 2017 while promoting Kong: Skull Island

 

And in 2016 while promoting I Saw the Light. In that episode Tom, Sophie Turner, Helen George, and Dexys all received a surprise visit from The Duchess of Cornwall. 

Fashion: 

Tom Hiddleston wore his John Smedley Lundy pullover (sold out) and Mykita glasses. In some of the pictures he is also wearing his PS by Paul Smith Pea Coat. 

Credits: 

BBC Radio 2
Zoe Ball
Maxwell Cooke
Jax Jones

Shortlist: Best of British (2012)

January 16, 2012: 

Shortlist Magazine revealed their Best of British issue which celebrates rising stars (coincidentally in the same year Tom was also nominated for BAFTA Rising Star). The class of 2012 included Douglas Booth, Laura Haddock, Tom Hiddleston, Fred Macpherson, James Norton, Craig Roberts, Adrien Sauvage, and Michael Socha. I love the tag line they used: The new wave of British talent taking the world by storm. Using cheekbones!!!!!! For the most part their predictions were very accurate. Tom Hiddleston is now Tom Hiddleston. Tom was the oldest person on this list and has frequently commented that he was glad he didn't find major success until later in life. James Norton has starred is several series and his name is always mentioned in the James Bond conversation. Laura Haddock starred in the most recent Transformers film. Douglas Booth was in Noah, Jupiter Ascending, and There Will Be None. Douglas was also the youngest person on the list at just 19! Adrien Sauvage found success outside of film and created his own clothing line House of A. Sauvage. His designs have been worn by Jeff Goldblum, Dave Chapelle, Jude Law, Robert Downey Jr, Anthony Joshua, Lewis Hamilton, and more.

Tom Hiddleston had a short interview in the magazine. It's always interesting to look back at these interviews, especially when Tom has listed his goals, and see if they've actually happened. Did Tom get a new car? Yes! Has he found more of a work/life balance? It seems so. Directing and writing? Not quite yet but Tom has started producing. 

Was there a standout moment for you last year? Well, Thor and Midnight In Paris came out in America within about two days of each other, but I was on the set of The Avengers in Albuquerque and missed all the hype. Then when I eventually went to see Midnight In Paris at this LA cinema that I visit every time I’m there — as a punter, totally incognito — I got recognised by Billy Crystal. It was this crazy, surreal moment — Billy Crystal coming up to me, saying, “Did I just see you in that movie?” I guess that was a turning point when I thought, “Oh, this is going well.”

Is there something you’re most looking forward to in 2012? I’m looking forward to Henry IV [Hiddleston is playing Prince Hal], which I’m doing for the BBC. Jeremy Irons is playing my father, and Julie Walters, Simon Russell Beale and Maxine Peake are all in it. It’s going to be fantastic.

Does it give you a big surge of patriotism, delivering all those speeches? It’s funny — it really does. My father’s Glaswegian and when I was a kid I’d always support Scotland. So I’ve always had an ambivalent relationship to the St George’s Cross. But suddenly, when there’s one on your shield, one on your elbow, and you’re saying words like, “Cry God for Harry, England and St George,” you think, “Yeah, I’m a bit English, actually.”

Do you have a new year’s resolution? It sounds really cheesy to say it, but balance is my new year’s resolution. I tend to go hell for leather with everything — in work, in relationships, with food, drink, exercise and stuff. I just need to get the boat on an even keel, otherwise I’ll fall apart.

What would you most like to achieve in 2012? I’m going to go on holiday. I haven’t had a formal holiday in five years. I’d like to try to surf. Possibly Cornwall? Or, if the wind took me there, Bali. Also, I don’t have a car at the moment. I would like a slightly nicer one than my old one. Basically, when I got my first pay cheque from an HBO BBC thing, way back in 2001, it was just enough to afford a Peugeot 106 1.1. I had it for 10 years, and I drove it around France and Spain, and then when I went to America for Thor I left it with my sister, whose boyfriend lived on Blackhorse Road [in north London]. I don’t think it lasted very long. So I’m in need of four motorised wheels to take me places I’ve never been. And I’ll tell you what else I’m going to do — I keep having these ideas for films that I’d like to make myself, so I’m going to start writing and directing more.

Do you feel part of a movement of interesting, young British actors? If I’m a part of it, I’m flattered. It’s interesting, because I used to look up for inspiration, like every actor does, to people like Daniel Day-Lewis, Robert De Niro, Ken Branagh… Now I look sideways. I worked with Benedict Cumberbatch on War Horse, then he went off to do Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. He was so good. I was so proud to call him my friend — it’s one of the most electrifying performances by an actor this year. Tom Hardy — he’s doing things that I think no British actor has ever done. His performance in Warrior was visceral, pure and muscular, and it made me cry. Michael Fassbender has had an annus mirabilis with A Dangerous Method and his studio breakthrough in X-Men: First Class, where, hands down, he and James McAvoy were the best things in it. His work is just astonishing. Anyway, there is this new generation of interesting people — Felicity Jones, Craig Roberts, Andrea Riseborough. I guess when you’re inside something it doesn’t feel like a movement. I’m just putting one foot in front of the other, trying to make the best choices that I can.

Do you think this generation is breaking new ground — doing things that British actors haven’t traditionally done? Yeah, it’s great. About five years ago, very quietly, in a back room in Hackney, the rulebook got torn up. The thing about film is, it captures the truth — but it also captures falsity. If you’re pretending, it’ll look like bullsh*t. Performance on film is all about authenticity. If somebody is absolutely right for the part, it doesn’t matter whether they were found in the Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art or in a train station.

Tom Hiddleston was photographed by David Venni for the issue. One thing I miss about 2012 Tom vs 2019 Tom: Stripes! In his early career Tom wore a lot of stripes and plaid and different colors.  

Credits: 

Shortlist

E Place

David Venni
Hiddleston-Daily/Torrilla