Tom Hiddleston –the gentleman who made us root for a villain, recite Shakespeare in full armor, and wore his dress shirt with one button unbuttoned, then made it socially acceptable– talks about mortality in his latest project. It’s kind of ironic since one of his most famous roles is that of Loki Odinson, God of Mischief, in the MCU, who appears to die countless times.
Tom Hiddleston Stars as the Lead in The Life of Chuck
Hiddleston took the lead role in The Life of Chuck, based on a novella by horror legend Stephen King. King, who’s known to write stories about clowns living in sewers or haunted mountain resort hotels, had something else in mind when he wrote The Life of Chuck, since it’s different from his other works that often induce nightmares. The story follows Charles “Chuck” Krantz as he lives his life, impacting the world and the universe around him. The story was told in reverse chronological order, starting from Chuck’s adult life to his childhood.
In a recent interview with MovieWeb, Hiddleston shared how the role resonated with him. He said, “I never know how my work resonates with the audience. I feel like I have played a few mortals. Obviously, Loki is not mortal. I think, in fact, he would be offended by the question.”
He continued, “This particular mortal (Chuck) in this particular story was one I just was so honored to play, and it really resonated with me, immediately and instinctively when I read it. I just felt very connected to him, and it may be to do with the passing of time for me.”
Hiddleston and Mortality
The Crimson Peak actor also revealed how, because of the film, he began to think about his mortality: “As we get older, the years go by faster, and we’ve all been through a lot in recent years. There was a sense that none of us knows the day or the date of the end of our lives.”
He also shared one particular scene in the movie that he finds extraordinary: “I found this kind of moment in time that is crystallized in the dance (in the movie)… Chuck is at a point of transition in his life. His physical health and his mental health, but he doesn’t know it, and there’s a moment of spontaneity and freedom that actually expresses the spirit of his life in one magical moment. And that moment may never be repeated. It was just the idea that every ordinary life is not ordinary at all. It’s actually extraordinary, if we had the curiosity to learn.”
The film also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard, and Mark Hamill. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, where it won the People’s Choice Award. The Life of Chuck is scheduled for a nationwide theatrical release on June 13.
