Somehow it's been 13 years since Tom Hiddleston first stepped into the shoes of Loki, his beloved character in the MCU. But where did he look to for inspiration, when taking on the iconic role over a decade ago? It turns out, one of the answers is none other than Alan Rickman's dastardly villain Hans Gruber from the legendary 1988 Bruce Willis action movie Die Hard (which yes, is one of the best Christmas movies of all time).
As reported by People, Hiddleston recently spoke about his journey as Loki during a panel dedicated to the God of Mischief's show at TV festival PaleyFest. When asked about how he prepared for the role, the actor listed Gruber as being a source for inspiration alongside James Mason's spy Phillip Vandamm in the Alfred Hitchcock classic North by Northwest. Hiddleston told the audience:
"Those are all characters that are about control and revenge. I might just love those performances as a child... I just was so drawn to those performances as they seemed to be having such a wonderful time playing these antagonists, I suppose. And that was part of the charm. They were so charismatic, even though they weren't at the center of those films."
While Loki may have been a supporting character in the likes of Thor and Avengers: Infinity War, Hiddleston's memorable turn not only earned him a dedicated fanbase, but the character was given two seasons of his own TV show too.
Fans are still questioning whether Hiddleston will return as Loki following that epic season two finale, and although no further MCU appearances for the mischievous god have so far been announced, the actor isn't saying a last goodbye yet. As he told ComicBook last year: "It's so hard because I'll be completely honest with you, I have at least twice in my life said goodbye. I've written to Kevin Feige and Louis de Esposito and Victoria Alonso and been like, 'Thank you so much. It's been like the role of a lifetime,' and they've written notes back saying, 'Come and see us anytime. You're always part of the family. We're always here. You've given us so much' and tears have been shared. So, I think I'd be unwise at this point to be conclusive about any of it."
To stay updated with all things the MCU, check out all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way, as well as our guide to how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
