The best Tom Hiddleston roles are spread across stage, television, and film. While he gained international recognition for portraying Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the English actor’s versatility extends to different genres, including comedy. Captivating audiences with his exceptional performances has been Hiddleston’s strong suit since his 2001 screen debut.
Tom Hiddleston’s celebrated career began in the late 1990s on stage before his television debut in 2001. During the budding stage of his career, Hiddleston played minor roles in television films such as Conspiracy and Armadillo. His film career which began on the set of Unrelated (2007) marked the beginning of several breakthrough roles for the actor. Following his appearance as Edward in Archipelago (2010), Hiddleston landed his career-defining role as Loki in Thor (2011). While Loki continues to top the list of best Tom Hiddleston roles, the versatile actor has won several awards for his performances in different projects on both the stage and screen. Explore some of Hiddleston’s best works so far.
1. Loki (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
The best Tom Hiddleston roles will not be complete without paying homage to the God of Mischief. Hiddleston didn’t just gain international fame for his depiction of Loki in the MCU, the epic role showcased his exceptional talent and became his breakthrough. Hiddleston made his MCU debut as Loki, the God of Mischief in Thor ( 2011). He originally auditioned for the titular role but director Kenneth Branagh thought Loki would be more suitable for him. Hiddleston has portrayed Loki in many MCU projects, including The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. He has been headlining the Disney+ series Loki since 2021. Hiddleston’s Loki was ranked as the 19th Greatest Movie Character of All Time by Empire magazine.
2. Jonathan Pine (The Night Manager)
In addition to starring in the lead role in the 2016 AMC / BBC limited series The Night Manager, Tom Hiddleston also executive-produced the show. The series is based on a detective novel of the same name written by John le Carré. Hiddleston was lauded for the skillful delivery of his role in the miniseries for which he received numerous award nominations and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film. The English actor is set to star in a second outing of The Night Manager.
3. Will Ransome (The Essex Serpent)
Based on Sarah Perry‘s novel of the same name, The Essex Serpent premiered on May 13, 2022, with Tom Hiddleston in the lead role of Reverend Will Ransome opposite Claire Danes as Cora Seaborne. Hiddlestone shared a strong onscreen connection with Danes in the Apple TV+ drama series which contributed to the show’s engaging pace. Also, his versatility is seen in his navigation of different complicated emotions while carrying out different tasks as someone his community looks up to.
4. James Nicholls (War Horse)
Directed by the iconic Steven Spielberg, the War Horse story began as a 1982 novel of the same name by Michael Morpurgo before Nick Stafford’s 2007 stage adaptation. The cinematic adaptation was released in 2011, the same year Hiddleston was launched into stardom by his performance as Loki. Hiddleston’s portrayal of the noble Captain Nicholls solidified his status as an actor to watch.
5. Captain James Conrad (Kong: Skull Island)
Playing Conrad in Kong: Skull Island (2017) is Tom Hiddleston’s first leading role in a high-budget project outside the MCU. He landed his role in the Jordan Vogt-Roberts-directed film after taking a break from acting. His brilliant performance as the lead hunter during the Skull Island mission kept viewers engaged from start to finish. While it’s not the best in the renowned King Kong franchise, the film was a critical and commercial success with over $566 million earned worldwide.
6. Freddie Page (The Deep Blue Sea)
Tom Hiddleston’s role as an RAF pilot in the independent film The Deep Blue Sea pushed him further into the spotlight after bagging the Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer and the nomination for the BAFTA Rising Star Award. The British romantic drama explores the affair between a former Royal Air Force pilot (Hiddleston) and the younger wife of a High Court judge. The Judge’s wife was played by Rachel Weisz who shared a palpable onscreen chemistry with Hiddleston.
7. Adam (Only Lovers Left Alive)
If You have ever thought Tom Hiddleston would make a fine vampire then Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) is the movie to watch. The romantic vampire film explores the love story of two vampires, Eve (Tilda Swinton) and Adam (Hiddleston) who rekindle their love after a long time of being estranged. While it might come off as cliché, the film’s stylish and compelling entertainment makes it unique among other vampire films.
8. Oakley (Unrelated)
Unrelated is the first feature film that introduced Tom Hiddleston to the big screen and he made the most of it. He landed the role fresh out of RADA alongside his sister Emma who portrayed Badge. According to the film’s casting director, Lucy Bevan, Hiddleston earned the role due to the “fantastic confidence” he carried around him. The brilliant film is director Joanna Hogg‘s debut feature film and she guided Hiddleston to deliver a fantastic job.
9. F. Scott Fitzgerald (Midnight in Paris)
Though his role in Midnight in Paris is not elaborate, it remains one of the best Tom Hiddleston roles The fantasy romantic comedy follows screenwriter Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) who travels back in time every midnight. He is particularly obsessed with his trip to the 1920s where he meets Fitzgerald (Hiddleston), a writer whose work he admires. Hiddleston embodies the role so perfectly it becomes hard to separate him from the character.
10. Edward (Archipelago)
One of the most critically acclaimed among the best Tom Hiddleston roles was portrayed in Archipelago (2010). The role showcases Hiddleston’s humane side in a way that has never been seen before. Amid a quarter-life crisis, his character quit his job in the city and volunteers to go to Africa to help in the fight against AIDS. Hiddleston shared the screen with other British stars in the film, including Kate Fahy as Patricia and Lydia Leonard as Cynthia.