Sardi's Portrait Unveiling (2019)

December 5, 2019: 

Tom Hiddleston was honored with a portrait at Sardi's in New York City. Sardi's is famous for it's Caricatures of Broadway stars. 

The portrait is inscribed with "another bottle of Corvo Bianco" - which is a line from the infamous waiter scene in Betrayal. 

Tom's Betrayal Broadway co-stars Zawe Ashton and Eddie Arnold were also present. 

Here is Tom's speech in full (video via Leigh Scheps): 

"It has been the most extraordinary experience being here in New York, being here on Broadway. I've never done it before as you know. It's been the same for Zawe, for Charlie, and for Eddie, and for Jamie. I wish you were here for this. But maybe I'll bring him and show him the caricature later. I am so grateful to so many people in this room who have welcomed us so warmly and made the space for us, and worked so hard on making this such a wonderful experience. There are so many people to thank individually, and I have a feeling in the next four days are going to be full of individual thanks. I particularly just want to say a few words of thanks. Firstly to Bob Wankel and the Shuberts for having us at the Jacobs. I believe Bernard Jacobs has a caricature on the wall. Richard Burton, Kermit the Frog - I'm in good company. Bob thank you for many things but particularly for installing a shower. I make good use of it. Nextly, thank you to David [I couldn't make out his last name] for everything you've done in making this possible. Thank you to the Broadway League. Thank you to the American Theater Wing, and the Actors Fund who we have been working with so closely. Huge thanks, eternal thanks to the crew at the Jacobs. To Bruce [I couldn't make out the last name], and Frank Lombardi, Diane [I couldn't make out the last name]. Emma Lyles - the most professional member of our company. And thanks to Jeff, and Wendy, and Diane. And everybody really. Thank you to Emily. Emily is going home tonight so she won't be here on Sunday. And thank you to Ben. And everyone who's made this possible. Thank you to Max for making space on the wall. We've got Anthony Hopkins right here. He played my dad once upon a time. It really is a huge honor. I feel very humbled by all of this. Listening to Julie I never expected it honestly. Jamie asked me to be part of his gala and many of the actors in that gala had a relationship with Harold Pinter and worked with him personally or knew him personally. And I had only met him once. He had come to see me in a production of Othello. And simpy said afterwards, 'I never need to see Othello again.'. I think it was a compliment. But he's been a big part of my life in lots of ways. A huge inspiration for me. His noble lecture, as many of you know, is something I wear very closely. I think he crystalized and articulated the reason why so many of us are in the performing arts. Why we think theater and drama are important because it's a way of exploring our lives and are reality through art. Zawe and I turned up and did Scene 5 - the Venice Scene - and it's given birth to this extraordinary year of my life. And a year is a long time. And I know the older we get the shorter they seem. But to do this play every day And to do it with such extraordinary people who are so committed to bringing it to life has really been an honor. Endings are interesting for me. I can't quite organize this experience in my mind yet. And I know that over the coming days and weeks so many memories and images and feelings will come to the fore. But it has been extraordinary and I've already been speaking for too long so I'll hand it over. Thank you sincerely to all of you from the bottom of my heart. And let's have a look at this!" 

Here is a wider look at the crowd. Many of the people Tom thanked in his speech are there including Emily Vaughan-Barrat and Emma Lyles.  

 

Emma shared some lovely snaps on her Instagram. Tom is such a proud dad. 

Producer, Benjamin Lowy, shared this clip on his Instagram. 

If there was ever a person who deserved anything - it's Tom Hiddleston. I may be slightly biased ok. 

Some other famous faces on the walls at Sardi's NYC include Uma Thurman, Andrew Garfield, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Samuel L. Jackson, and Angela Bassett: 

One of the requirements of getting your portrait is that you have to eat at Sardi's during your Broadway run. Which wouldn't be a problem for Tom since that restaurant is only a 2 minute walk from the Jacobs Theatre. 


ps: This was also a big day for the London production of Betrayal. They received FOUR nominations at the WhatsOnStage Awards: Best Actor in a Play (Tom Hiddleston), Best Actress in a Play (Zawe Ashton), Best Support Actor in a Play (Charlie Cox), and Best Play Revival (Betrayal at the Harold Pinter Theatre). These awards are completely fan voted. You can vote here. 

Fashion: 

Tom Hiddleston is wearing a Ralph Lauren suit.