If we were doing a head-to-head-to-head match up between Ben Kinglsey, Mark Strong and Tom Hiddleston and the question was “Who would you rather?” the answer would be Hiddles. Always. Because we’re going on looks and shag-tasm, the X-factor of “bangability”. That’s no disrespect to Strong (who I also adore) and Kingsley (who reminds me of many of my Indian relatives). But what if we were just doing a voice-to-voice match up? Who would you rather on voice alone? That’s the question I was asking myself after I watched Jaguar’s SuperBowl commercial, which was released… I guess, Tuesday night. Sorry I didn’t get to it before now, but here you go:
See? Hiddles is very sexy here and if we were just using our eyes, I think a lot of ladies would choose Tommy and just be done with it. But if we’re going on voice… I have to go with Mark Strong. His voice is a powerful weapon, a weapon that, if used properly, disintegrates panties.
As for the whole “British dudes are always the bad guys because British guys are awesome and dangerous and sexy” theme… eh, it sort of works. Especially when you’re using actors like Tommy, Sir Ben and Mr. Strong. I think Tommy in the chopper drinking tea feels a little TOO English though. Like, we get it, you’re super-English, bro. It does feel like we’re missing a dirty-talking Benedict Cumberbatch though. He’s played some memorable bad guys too, remember?
Here’s a behind-the-scenes of the commercial shoot. Lots of Hiddles in here. And again, I think I’m more into Strong.
Also, we’ve finally got the video for Hiddles’ Thor audition. It’s supremely dorky, and I like that the Thor people are like, “Uh, yeah, he came in and auditioned to play Thor and we were like, ‘OMG, we found Loki!’”
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
I think the tea drinking stuff is more a play on how it’s assumed that all Brits drink tea from china cups, like playing up to a stereotype? I could be wrong though.
I was all about Mark Strong in that to be honest, his voice, he’s not overdoing it.
Hiddles comes across a bit hammy, and large, but that’s probably what he was going for, bit of a panto villian?
The Elle interview was ok, nothing major and I can’t see how it was his most revealing, I learned nothing major new about him other than he kissed a girl at 10. The video of him running around then going “See you in ELLE!” all serious….Just. No.
I somehow remember a scene is some film (other than Austin Powers) in which the British villain does drink tea while outlining his evil scheme, but I can’t remember which film it was. I’ve always thought Mark Strong a powerful actor but never felt any appeal toward him but the commercial changes that – he’s awesome. But still, Hiddleston. I always just want to hang out and listen to Ben Kingsley.
That’s what he says?! I thought he said “see you in Hell!” HAHAHA.
LMAO
That would have been a lot cooler indeed.
Dying laughing.
OMG, me too. I was rather confused, but wrote it off as me being flustered by his heavy breathing close-up.
I worked for a British man years ago in an ad agency and I swear, his (also British) exec assistant would prepare him tea every afternoon on china and bring it in to him on a tray. He was lovely and so was she – we’re still friends 15 years later although they both moved back to the UK. My close friend here worked at the British consulate for about a year and they enjoyed breaking for tea in the afternoon also. Not really a stereotype, just a cultural thing. Regarding British men, I don’t know what my issues are but I love them and don’t care what they look like usually; I fall in love immediately. They are usually very funny, dry, and in my experience with a long-term man I was involved with, good in bed. I even quit my job and moved to London to live with him (short-lived but a great adventure). He was one of my great loves. Especially when he would say “Get your kit off.” I think that’s also where I developed my propensity for hefty men with some meat on them, like rugby players. 😉
And don’t hate me but I prefer Tom as Loki than in real life with his ginger hair.
I am mostly tea, the rest is gin. We drink more tea than even the stereotype realises, so I didn’t even pick up on it!
And it really should be in a china cup.
I want to see the full commercial where he talks about needing to move 4 business associates in a hurry. That one looks interesting.
*Snort* so is Jaguar really running a Campaing saying they are the car of choice of Killers and Villains?? Cause LOL
Hee I think so and btw I love this commercial because of that. I was like ok Jag good for you for saying sexy evil Brits use your cars lol.
Okay, I’m guessing there is more to this ad, or others to accompany it (nothing about 4 associates here) BUT I did pick up on that line “we all drive Jaguars” and yet Tom arrives in a helicopter. Does Jag make helicopters now???
Mark’s voice and persona is the winner in this ad. He is simultaneously serious and cheeky. Can’t wait to see if it is a series of ads where we get to see more of their individual characters coming out.
Secret Squirrel, there is more than just this one ad. Jaguar has planned a six month campaign with additional, shorter commercials.
They won’t show them in Australia I bet (where Jag sales would I admit be a little on the low side!). Hopefully their ads will be accessible on YouTube or similar!
I seem to remember that in the 70s, a Jag was the car of choice as a getaway car when pulling a bank job. Could outrun all the police cars.
Well obviously most people would need to engage in illegal activities in order to afford one…
I’m embarrassed. Nanny always taught me to put the milk in first and I did it all wrong. *Sobs*
*gasp* Milk should NEVER go in first!
Now go sit in the corner, look sad and think about what you did!
Wait wait what??? I was always told by the British people I know (American here) that the tea went in first! the reason being that the milk was to prevent the hot tea from cracking China cups by cooling it just a bit. Help! I Love tea (and coffee) and want to be making it right.
LOL, there is no right or wrong way to make tea, InvaderTak, despite all the goofing around on here! Everyone has their own particular way of doing it, which of course is always the “right” way! 😉 The important thing is that you drink it and love it!
No, the milk goes in first, it just does. What if you get it wrong? It’s just the frisson of danger a cup of tea will add to your life.
Shock! Horror!
In other tea-preserves-the-fabric-of-society-and-should-never-be-messed-with crisis news: my mother has recently started making tea by putting a teabag straight into the cup.
My MOTHER. A TEABAG. No TEAPOT.
The world has gone to hell in a handcart.
I’m a villain! A villain! I even put milk instead of lemon into Earl Grey! Now give me the keys to my free Jaguar.
Why sweetie. You’ve gone method!
But is she heating it in the microwave? If she isn’t microwaving it, there is still hope.
Oh my word. People microwave tea? I won’t tell her. Just in case.
I remember seeing the mum in Muriels Wedding putting a teabag in a cup and then in the microwave but I thought it was down to the fact she was a bit away with the fairies!! 😮
@Lilacflowers – My dad says the jug doesn’t get his coffee hot enough, so he always zaps it in the microwave on top of boiling the jug. He must have asbestos lips…
Yes, Sixer, Americans microwave tea and do other ghastly things to it. This country has waged war against tea since December 16, 1773. They heat it in microwaves or they dunk a teabag in microwaved water and call it tea and look puzzled when an actual tea drinker seems less than enthused. At functions, they either forget about it entirely, serving only coffee, or they put out a basket of tea bags (usually an assortment of herbals and nothing caffeinated) with a huge urn full of hot water. The urn is usually used for coffee so the water coming from it tastes like stale coffee, which renders the “tea” one makes with it pretty much undrinkable. My co-workers are always amazed that I actually make a real pot of tea each morning, featuring a teapot and tea leaves. For fun, I like to buy my loose tea in the shop below the Old South Meeting House, from whence the Boston Tea Party sortie originated.
We saw Robert Plant in concert last summer, on the harbor where the tea was dumped, and he began the show with a long rant about how it was impossible to get a decent cup of tea in the United States. My heart went out to him.
MILK IN EARL GREY???!!!!!!! [in voice and indignation of Lady Bracknell]
You’re supposed to put the milk in after! And they didn’t let you bring Bunny on set either did they?
Milk first is considered non U.
Tom needs a mild scandal, affair w married woman, mild drug bust, or just evidence of man- whorishness. His image is too clean. Get on that, Luke.
When in doubt, don’t put milk in at all!! It saves so much embarrassment.
@Sixer – The first time I ever heard my mother swear was when she broke her teapot and had to have tea made straight in the cup. Oh, that day of horror is forever burned in my memory…
Squirrel – I had a boyfriend once, whose mother made tea in a silver pot. She thought it was heresy to clean the pot. You could only rinse it quickly. So tea detritus had built up inside for years upon years upon years. And I had thought my own mother was a traditionalist for using leaves! I always drank coffee when I was there…
ha ha. I imagine the capacity of the teapot decreased as the build up grew!
I think it is one of life’s little luxuries to sit down with a pot of tea and read the paper on a Sunday morning. Sadly I must admit I tend to go more for the ‘straight to the cup’ method these days.
I’m not a total traditionalist though and prefer a teabag over tea leaves. I always hated tea leaves in my cup and there was never a tea filter invented that stopped all the leaves from entering the cup. We can put a man on the moon, but we can’t keep this little leaf from slipping into your cup only to turn up again stuck on your front tooth…
*shudder* I dated a man who refused to wash his tea cups except with a quick rinse. That ended quickly. What is this? These were cheap silly cups.
I got twitchy remembering this when I saw that episode of Sherlock with the Asian tea expert “let the tea wash over the sides of the pot! Never wash it!”
I must say, I’d see cleanliness as nearer to godliness than tea, much as I love tea.
Sixer, I’ve read and reread your comments about a former boyfriend’s mother. It still makes me gag after reading it several times. I live in an area with super hard water and sometimes, I need to clean my pan more than once a week with vinegar, just to remove all the deposits the water left behind. I know it’s mostly calcium and stuff but YUCK. Just yuck.
*trying not to turn more green*
I have an English Brown Betty teapot that gets a full wash roughly every week or so. If I washed it every day that I used it, instead of just rinsing it out, it does seem to affect the flavor of the tea. The more you use such a tea pot the more seasoned it becomes and the flavor is better. I believe this also goes for the Chinese tea pots, which is why it is said never wash them. Rinse them out. Now, a regular white ceramic teapot, that would get washed because it is made differently.
*wrings leaves anxiously*
What’s an English Brown Betty????
Tut, tut, somebody failed to read George Orwell, I see. Tea first, THEN milk. Otherwise you will surely put in too much. Tell the truth: that was Bunny in the boot, right?
Exactly, taste aside, aesthetically it’s better to put the milk in afterwards so you get that lovely swirly effect. Putting tea in afterwards you just get off white water.
I love all of this tea talk as much as I love the Tommy talk!
And Sixer, that story about your former boyfriend’s mother and the unwashed silver teapot is hilarious!
Ditto!
I just boil large quantities of water in a pan and use tea bags (no milk, sugar, OR lemon for me thankyouverymuch). But then again, I’m an American. Lol
I’m all over the place with my tea-making, LadySlippers. Most days I do it “properly” with a tea pot and loose tea leaves. And then other days I am in a hurry so it’s just a tea bag and yes, the dreaded microwave to boil the water! And like you, I prefer mine straight up most of the time with nothing added. On occasion I will do a bit of milk or lemon but never sugar.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but you guys on the other side of the pond don’t commonly use electric kettles? Is that the reason for the utter heresy of microwaving where tea is concerned? My kettle will boil enough water for a 2-cup pot of tea in about 30 seconds. Easily as quickly as RUINING (!) it in a microwave.
Sixer,
We very rarely use any kind of kettle. I only had one friend that had kettles but that’s because her gay best friend bought them for her.
Although, tea is making a nice resurgence so (we now have more than one loose leaf tea store in my Midwest town) they might be getting or are more common. Hell even the Barnes & Noble is selling matching tea pots & tea cups (cups come with strainers).
An electric kettle boils the water *that* fast, eh? Hmmmmm… Might have to look into that…
I can highly recommend having a electric kettle. Honestly, I don’t know what I did without one during the frigid Midwestern winter. Even as an American, I think it is odd to have kettle sitting on the stove. Sometimes when I’m watching American movies or tv shows that show a kitchen, I watch for the kettle sitting on the stove.
I’ve got a stainless steel electric kettle and that is definitely the best way to heat/boil the water.
Tea
1. Warm the teapot – china or pottery will do
2 Add one teaspoon of tea leaves per person and one for the pot – proper tea leaves please – teabags have all sort of dregs and dust in the bottom
3 Pour on freshly boiled water – using water boiled more than once will release the tannin in the tea and make it go bitter
4 let the tea brew gently – a matter of personal taste
5 pour into lovely china cup – using a strainer – add milk, drink delicately with the small finger of the hand holding the tea-cup raised in an elegant, ladylike manner
OR
if you are like me chuck teabag into large chipped mug, pour boiling water over the top, add milk making sure it’s a nice deep orange colour stirring it all together at the same time, forget it, put in microwave warm up whenever you feel like it….
hope that helps….
@Frisbeejada – Ba ha ha… I could almost hear the classical music playing in the background of option 1 and thrasher rock playing for option 2!!
@ secret squirrel – oh God my secret is finally out at last, shall go and stand in a corner and hang my head THE SHAME OF IT ALL…my only excuse is – Chocolate covered Hob Nobs….
Those Hob Nobs will get you every time…
I have the tea with the biscuit, not the biscuit with the tea!!
@ secretsquirrel – half a packet in one go and high as a kite on a sugar rush is not unheard of…
Slightly off topic, but do a majority of Brits take milk with their tea? I stopped adding milk when I was nine. But I’m just an uncultured American; what do I know?
Yes, and put sugar in it as well, yuch. Personally I drink mine black.
Sorry but Mark Strong wins the “bangability” contest for me – based on both looks and voice. 🙂
Yeah, I think Mark Strong is soooo much hotter. I like my men with a hint of dirty sex, not eager schoolboy. Although I like Tommy too, but Mark wins it.
“I like my men with a hint of dirty sex, not eager schoolboy. ”
Oh God this! I’ve never heard anyone describe it better!
Some of us can’t afford to be that fussy!
It could be worse, you could end up with eager sex with a dirty schoolboy…
No thank you, Squirrel! I had quite enough of that when I was a schoolgirl…
*chuckles*
Mark Strong is a god in this commercial. Seriously, he’s the only one here who nails it completely – charm, strength, danger, risk, threat, sexy, power. And his voice was created to combust panties.
Hiddles is also good, I think his unfortunate happenstance is that he’s cast alongside Strong to be a seductive baddie. Umm, yeah, as Loki maybe, but otherwise no, Hiddles doesn’t exude the same dangerous yet tempting aura that Strong has.
And yes, the commercial is desperately missing Cumberbatch who as a person, I think, fits the bill more than Hiddles, regardless of former characters played.
Great! I’ll have Tom and we’ll agree to share Mark then?? Not that I am selfish!! And Ben’s the cool dude you chat to over a nice whiskey whilst the other boys are recovering… 🙂
No no! You get Tom and *I* get Ben. *hmph*
And I totally will share Mark… boy was he yummy in this…..
I was talking about Ben Kingsley here Sweetie! I would NEVER take Benedict from you!! You would hunt me down and skin my little hide if I so much as looked all dewy-eyed at Cumbers…
As I told Sixer elsewhere on this thread, I’m attempting rehab for my Benedict addiction. Was doing great and made it through a WHOLE DAY!!!! Before this post…
🙁
As long as we all get Mark, I’m totally in!
p.s. oh now we’re talking about Cumby?? damn it, I want in on that as well! the liquid voice of sex
of course we are talking about Cumby! It is a Tom Hiddleston post after all!! If you want to talk about Tom, you need to go to a Cumby post!
AHAHHAHAHAHAA, indeed, so stupid, forgive me, I beg you.
Thou shall think of no other Ben except the Batch, of course.
Geesh Kelly! I mean, these things, should be like, *known*!!!
😉
The liquid voice of sex. Yes. That phrase could describe both Benedict and Mark. *fans face*
Okay Squirrel, I’m making it official, Mark is now one of our cute British Boys that inhabit our sex caves.
Gosh, so much work to be done to make our garden ‘complete’.
Hi Secret Squirrel
I too thought you were referring to Benny Cumberbatch LOL! There’s a Benny post in CB earlier today so we can go there to discuss Tommy too.
Mark is my new fave villain now because of the commercial 😀 BUT i thought they should have casted Benny too. He was an excellent villain in Star Trek. I loved his voice and hair and bod….*swoons*
I must say this commercial is making me want to buy a Jaguar, but only if it comes with Tommy as a free gift.
I’ll print out Mark a membership card and send him a welcome pack.
Can I please invite Nigel Havers too??
What is the collective name for a bunch of hot British men??
A Cambridge? A Smaughips? A Hiddlestrongbatch?
Collective name ideas: “Batch of Strong Hiddles”…..”StrongCumberFlies”….
A bewitchery or an allurement of British actors. Or maybe a glamour.
Glamour Garden of Cute Boys wins!!! 😉
At least for me anyway…,
Hehehe
Two things:
Actually, the answer is always Mark Strong.
I’ve tried and tried and whinged and whinged and then tried again. But I gotsta finally put Tommy into the closet of no more Sixer list. He’s now so close to 100% PR and Emperor’s New Clothes that I’m going to leave him all to you lovely guys. You can ‘ave ‘im.
Thanks Sixer. I’m currently in rehab for my Benedict addiction so will pick up the slack for you here!
I think Tom just needs a few good roles to keep him busy again and give the PR shilling a break. Can’t say Luke doesn’t earn his money, but I think the real Tom is kind of getting drowned in all this fake attention.
I’m rediscovering Mark Strong through this ad. He’s been off my radar for some time but I think it’s time for a revisit to some of his work!
I think Luke should earn his money getting him proper work, not doing Rocky in London videos for Elle.
I think Luke’s motto would be “made you look”…
HAHA, indeed.
LOL totally agree about the motto
He was the hottest thing for me right after The Avengers, for about a couple of weeks. Then I read his Twitter and he became my shame f*ck. then a few interviews later he became something of a hate f*ck. Now I’m scratching my head and wondering if there is any there there. He is one part PR two
Parts water. Haven’t read true Elle interview, but it sounds like its anti-climactic. I need something else.
It is very anti-climactic. It’s an alright interview but there is nothing new in it, and certainly not a revealing interview that was promised. It doesn’t even have the comic value of the quoting Shakespeare to ducks interview.
(I also don’t believe for a second he wasn’t aware of the tight trouser pictures after Cannes)
Cannes was just the tip of that iceberg…
Did he really say that? I don’t believe it for a minute. He strikes me as someone who is hyperaware of appearances. As an actor, you are supposed to be aware.
http://torrilla.tumblr.com/post/75019262654/tom-hiddleston-a-god-among-men-elle-uk-march
Here you go, and yes he claims to have had NO clue whatsoever that there was talk about his Jon Hamm-ing it up in Cannes.
Puurleease!
A god among men? Are they serious? This is completely cringeworthy.
@Miss Jupitero – I can totally go with the “God amongst men” thing, cos sometimes when I read what he has said or done, I shake my head, slap my forehead and say “Oh God Tom…”
sometimes when I read what he has said or done, I shake my head, slap my forehead and say “Oh God Tom…” –> roflmfao
@Miss Jupitero
What was wrong with his twits?
I’m kind of new to his Twitter, haven’t had a chance to scroll back into the dark dark past…
I wonder if there is any there, there, too. I actually preferred it when he was moaning about posh-bashing because at least it was an actual TOPIC. Now that’s been excised from view, all that’s left in interviews is padding and puff and guff and stuff and nonsense. See what I did there? Word association football. Psychoanalysisterandbrother. I love that game.
Sigh. It’s a shame. Because he is hot.
It’s Elle though. They were never going to give him a Paxo style grilling. It’s a shame that there isn’t a magazine/tv/radio show that does something similar to In the Psychiatrist’s Chair. Now I’d definitely watch/listen to that.
I also have suspicions that journalists go to interview him thinking they’ll be tough and investigative and just get washed away on a tsunami of charm and twinkly-eyed niceness. They turn into jelly and are incapable of asking anything tougher than “What’s your favourite colour?”
and they always send young pretty females to interview him and they end up getting twitterpated. The best/funniest Tom interviews I have seen had male hosts. Take the sexual tension out of the room and he relaxes and opens up much more readily.
Make Mine – I think Sky Arts do a similar show – In Confidence.
@Squirrel – as long as it’s not Josh Watshisface off MTV. He melts in the biggest puddle of gooey sloshiness I have ever seen. Love the phrase ‘twitterpated’. Urban Dictionary entry?
And Sixer – is it any good? Sadly I’m not able to get a whole lot of British TV at the mo. Really like your theatre reviews too.
Twitterpated is from Bambi!!! Its how Thumper (bunny) describes falling in love and going all gooey.
I was going to put that Josh one in as an exception to the rule, but couldn’t remember his name. But those snake hips saved it.
I think it’s also Tom himself, it isn’t always the interviewer’s fault. He’s pretty smart really, no matter what you ask him he’ll always end up saying a lot, but saying universal philosophical general things, he’ll keep his private thoughts to himself. I don’t blame him for that, he is here to entertain after all, he’s not here to really bare his soul.
If you could send anyone to interview PuddleTom, who would it be? I’m going for John Humphrys from the Today programme. His level of grumpiness as the hyperbole continued flowing would be most entertaining.
Squirrel! I adore you!!!
I use twitterpated too!!!! (It’s prob an outdoorsy thing yes?)
ETA: I agree with Kelly. I think Tom cranks up the charm in order to hide behind said charm. And twitterpated journalists write more glowingly too. So he gets another puff piece that makes his fans squee. Win-win.
@Mmad – Maybe Stephen Fry. He could outsmartypants, outsmarm and outwit Tom if he so desired!
@LadyS – Ironically I am the least likely person to get twitterpated in real life!
@Kelly – Great analogy! Tom doesn’t actually bare his soul, but he kind of makes you feel like he has, but in a different way to what you expected.
Does that even make sense?? It is the middle of the freakin’ night here and I should be asleep!
Make Mine – yes, quite good state of mind interviews. Friendly but not tame.
Puddletom interviewer: Noel Clarke. Or perhaps Granny Kumar.
Squirrel – it would be a charm off. Like a dance off but with more smarm and velvet. And considering Fry’s been doing Shakespeare on Broadway, they could do round two as a Bard-off. Maybe sell tickets? I’d pay to watch that.
OMG Bambi, oh mah gawd, it’s been 20 years!! That scene when he puts his nose in the flower and the little skunk pops out!!
Squirrel, indeed, he bares his universal opinion not his inner soul, quite right. He’s personable and shows affection but he’s not really letting you in. Which is ok, I think he’s able to separate his work persona and his private persona, and he really needs to do that if he’s going to stay sane in this business.
On another note, he studied Greek&Latin and presumably said literature. If I know anything as a lit major, it’s that they teach you how to effectively sell bullshit in a smart, engaging way, you can talk philosophical nonsense for hours and not really say anything concrete or come to any conclusion.
Actually humanities studies are perfect for politics, you sell theories on theories on theories, you don’t actually do anything real in the end, God bless the Shax lit circle.
Agreed on Mark Strong. I kind of love that he’ s still kind of a secret, so that every time I see or hear him, I realize all over again how great he is. And that voice. :::shiver:::: I still like me some Batch, but sometimes I feel like I’m on BC overload.
As for Hiddleston, it’s only in the last few months that I’ve started to see what everybody gets so excited about, so I still like him-just not in a screaming, Tumblr crazy kind of way.
Since we’re on the subject, can I see Charlie Hunnam’s Thor screen test too? Especially if he’s shirtless.
And Alex Skarsgard’s?
I wouldn’t mind seeing all of them, tbh. So the poor Dragonfly wouldn’t be all alone in his ridiculousness. I do kinda dig the blonde hair on him though.
yes, please! Hunnam, Hunnam! 🙂
Ah Miss M! I’ve missed you!
I’ve missed you too, Marty!
Jax Teller tested for Thor?!??!?!
OMFG
I want it, give it to me now!!!
Tom said before Chris auditioned again, it was down to Tom, Alexander Skarsgard, Liam Hemsworth, and Charlie. Charlie had to drop out because of his work commitment to SoA, because SoA shoots for 6 months it would have seriously limited his availability. That’s what I heard, at least.
I know he probably felt loyalty to SoA but he made the wrong choice on that one methinks.
And I say that as someone who watches it.
I think it had to do with the fact that he was contracted to SoA and FX. That was around the time the show started to get more critical acclaim, so I don’t think he could of have got out of it, even if he wanted to. I also think there were early Avengers talk around that time too. No way would he be able to do all Thor and Avengers with his Tv schedule.
I demand we see the Charlie Hunnam screen test for Thor, now! I had no idea he tried out for it and was one of the final contenders. I could see how Thor and Avenger filming would have gotten in the way of SoA and SoA is his first commitment.
To add: Mark Strong is the hottie in this commercial.
Mark Strong wins this one, wow. He has such a commanding voice.
The Elle interview is quite boring as per usual. As for the styling of the shoot, it’s basically terrible. Teenage hoodie Tom? https://24.media.tumblr.com/9f63f0ed4884aa13c3d83b73a79bd57f/tumblr_n07ucq3IlX1st3m6no6_500.jpg
“See you in ELLE!”
I died a little for him, and not in a good way.
http://www.elleuk.com/star-style/news/tom-hiddleston-elle-cover-star-sweaty-running-film?utm_content=bufferece84&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer#image=1
Yep, that was the bit where he needed to learn to say “no” and mean it.
I’m not going to even watch it. I’ll cringe anyway just based on that one stupid line.
Ahahahahaha, he never fails with the over-the-top cringe-worthy stuff, but he always gets away with it, remarkable.
I like the hoodie though!
Wow, that was pretty bold of Elle to ask the ‘trousergate’ question. Poor Tom seemed so embarrassed. The question was really unnecessary.
The exclusive video was an advert? For the magazine? For his own interview in the magazine?
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I rest my case.
Yes, this was what all the suspense was about. An advert. And this is what passes for a revealing interview. Shill, shill, shill. I can’t bring myself to watch it.
ELLE does stuff like that for every issue. It is a fashion magazine, not hard-core news. It is already doing stuff like that to promote next month’s issue.
An opportunity was hinted at and missed by Elle UK to address what their Editor in Chief tweeted at Wimbeldon last summer. Only talked about how she got trolled afterward. Why not clear that up? What made her tweet it? Could have put that to bed.
Clarifying it would result in one of the three following scenarios:
1) Confirming that Tom and JA were never in a relationship – this would be an admission that the ELLE editor’s original tweet was a mistake, which makes them look bad, especially considering how much time has passed since Wimbledon
2) Confirming that Tom is currently dating JA – this would insinuate that he was lying when he said he was single in multiple interviews over the last few months, which would make HIM look bad
3) Confirming that Tom was dating JA at the time, but is not any longer – this would publicly delve into the breakup of a relationship that was never actually public in the first place, which would just be uncomfortable all around
In my opinion, the way they brought it up in the opening paragraph was silly and out of place. They should have just left the issue to die.
Agreed belle.
Mark Strong for the win! He really puts Tom Hiddleston into perspective. LOL He was terrific in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as well. I think that the whole spying thing is pretty much perfected by the Brits (likely in real life too:)
Oh gosh, thank you for reminding me about Mark Strong in “Tinker, Tailor…” *Friday night viewing sorted*
He really needs to work more, like actual work not PR’s stuff.
The man behind the “Myth”, I would understand for Daniel Day Lewis or Gary Oldman but Tom is hardly a Myth. He’s not even a busy actor.
Bless his soul but he really need to be cast in some movie or tv show.
I’m pretty sure they are referring to “myth” as in his mythical-based role as Loki here, rather than him being a myth-level actor.
How come no one’s talking about the fact he basically flew over that high brick wall!!
I was pretty impressed by that move. More than anything else really.
Damn he really is athletic, who’d have thought!
It’s those muscly mile long legs of his. Impressive indeed!
Thanks very much Kelly, now I have to go take a look at that…
Ummmmmmm, I noticed the scene as not done in one take. He might have needed a couple of goes to get there!
Then on the other side of that wall, he landed in a muddy puddle, tripped over his own shoelace, fell over a garbage can and had to crawl through a thorny bush to get back on the path.
Hahahaaha, bless you Squirrel, I feel much better now 😀
Tom looks too pale. Not at all sexy. And the suit…meh. I would totally go for Mark Strong.
With Tom, not being pale means being orange (check out the pic of him in the black tux, he’s almost nutmeg), so I’ll take the pale version any day of the week!
Hiddleston looks so hot in that last pic (where he’s standing next to the car) that he made me temporarily forget about my beloved Cumby! *drool*
that was Tom’s best scene, at the end, doing his walk. The tea thing really irritates me. why didn’t they use the ‘four bodies in the boot’ clip. that would have been a lot better in the advert.
Shame really, Tom was let down with the scripting there, even Ben Kinglsey was meh.
Mark Strong, though, rocks this advert. True class in a glass.
If they film more adverts, I am sure Benny Cumby will be next. But, to me he is more hero, than villain. Khan was ‘meh’ character.
I’ll wait to get lambasted but I thought JJ used Khan as a generic plug and play ‘bad guy’. Benedict was completely wasted in that role. Khan could have been better but it wasn’t to be (For the record I have no qualms with how Benedict choose to play him. My qualms are with JJ).
But I loved Khan 🙁
Actually, no not love, but really really really really wanted to fck Khan…
Oh Kelly… I’m totally on board w/ f*cking Khan. In the ST literature he was supposed to be a very passionate lover. Now granted, I haven’t read it myself I’m just hearing it 2nd hand.
No lambasting here LadySlippers. JJ should have just called the character John Harrison if that’s all he wanted to do with him.
Oh LunchComa I wholeheartedly concur! And the admiral was the real bad guy — ‘Khan’ was nothing but a red herring. A sexy red herring… but a red herring nonetheless.
I have to say I thought both Khan and Loki were pretty light on as villians. I got the feeling that if their mum’s had of said “Cut it out or I’ll paddle your ar$e and send you to bed without your dinner”, they both would have cut it out. I realize it was Marvel/Star Trek so the average fan age would be taken into consideration and they couldn’t go “whole hog” baddie, but they could have gotten away with a little bit more grunt to their chaos.
*lets mind drift off to think about paddling Khan/Loki backsides*
Oh, Squirrel, now you have me all kerfluffled! I still have work left to not do today!
Ricardo Montalban is the one and only Kahn.
Is there a reason why BC isn’t in this commercial? I thought he was still doing promotions for Jaguar.
My thinking is that the ad focuses on British villains which is something Cumby doesn’t wanna associate with because once you get that tag…you’ll be boxed in that stereotype and we all know how many different characters Cumby wants to play in future.
Kingsley and Strong have had their share of fame, have played baddie roles quite often as well but Tom did a big mistake by being part of this campaign because no matter what now people (especially US audience) will only see him as Loki or a villain.
Playing on the Loki fame might garner him attention now but in future he is killing his chances of getting variety in his roles.
So I am glad that Cumby isn’t part of this
I know Cumby says he doesn’t want to play anymore villainous roles, but I bet he will jump at it if Marvel or Star Wars ask him to do so. The guy can’t turn down anything, he will act a scene opening a paperbag if he was asked. And he has been in roles that are as dull as that. ‘Paradise End’ yawn.
He is one of those people who can’t sit still from screen for five minutes. I love him to death, I truly do but I’d rather he pick roles with some more care and sit out a few months if nothing comes his way.
And… bloody film Sherlock S4
“And… bloody film Sherlock S4”
This!! So he’s available for the next 3 months? What the hell are you waiting for BBC? I want Sherlock back on the telly by the end of this year!
@Kelly I was thinking that, too! But does that mean everyone else on Sherlock is ready?
That’s a good point about him not wanting to be typecast. It’s too bad, though, as he could have brought more to the commercial.
I have to disagree with you ‘p’enny. Cumby is actually smart in doing that. Bits and pieces in everything. That way he gets to work with renowned directors and actors. Almost every veteran actor is now aware of cumby because of that. Hiddles- not so much. Cumby’s smart in realizing that these bits are important for him in building a network in this competitive industry. This makes me sad for Hiddles, though. He deserves to get great roles but had the misfortune to be smack in the middle of Cumby, Fassy and McAvoy even though he’s much younger than the first two.
Green Girl – yes others may not be available, true (who cares!! make them!! or at least do some extra scenes with Sher darling partying with his homeless network & Mrs.H)
Pretzel, thank you for the image of Hiddles being “smack in the middle of Cumby, Fassy and McAvoy” – even though I know you didn’t intend to portray the one that’s currently floating in my hussy head.
Do any of you Cumby ladies listen to Cabin Pressure? Benny being funny. Well worth a listen and you get to hear his silken tones whenever you want. There’s also pics of him in a pilot uniform. He’s doing the pointy finger thing too.
@Make mine a double:
I found Cabin Pressure (hilarious promo photos btw) and listened to the first episode – loved it! Benny’s really good at comedy, he should do more of it!
I do enjoy the parts of the Elle article where he talks about his admiration for his sisters and his mother’s strength. A big part of his appeal to me is that he genuinely seems to like women as people and is very comfortable around us. Maybe you all have different experiences but my experience with men is they either see me as a mystery, a conquest, a competitor or a delicate flower not as a full fledged person. He seems like a good soul along with cute and talented.
Mark Strong’s voice makes my lady parts sing!!!!
Agreed!
Frankly, I think Tom is almost like a woman hidden in a man’s body. No wonder he appeals to women so much.
All three work for me in their own way. Mark has a more mature look with a touch of sophistication, Kingsley the wise old man and Tom wins the charming young upstart award. Its good balance otherwise it might have been monotonous I know Tom was approached by so assume that Jaguar made them offers they could not refuse.
Elle seem to be having a love affair with Tom. Nothing spectacularly new but it does go off the usually format a bit,
Kingsley struck me as the leader of a powerful mob or cartel. Mark Strong as the hitman. Tom as the charming psychopath. Charming psychopaths are actually the most dangerous because they are appear non-threatening but are unpredictable and kill for fun.
I like this breakdown, but I wish that Hiddleston had used a different line reading on “power”–instead of roaring it, I think it would have been far more effective to deliver it in a very quiet, conversational tone. Gives chills, that would.
Lilacflowers you put it very well. With the other two you new exactly where they were coming from but with Tom he seemed just bit off the wall which is always intriguing.
I want to see the movie version of this ad!!! Jag can even shill all over it and I won’t care!
Re: how the lines are delivered – They are actually talking about the car, not their villainous traits! I think Tom was working the “power” line to go with the power of the car (i.e. the growl of the engine).
Icerose, I’ve had some experience with charming psychopaths!
SecretSquirrel, that is what I thought too. I want the car, especially if I can get one with Tom and Mark in it. And I know how to make tea properly and chocolate covered biscuits.
Well if you can’t get Tom and Mark with the car, you can invite me over and drive me around in your Jag whilst we have tea and chocolate biscuits (tea optional, biscuits mandatory!).
Do I have to wear tweed and smoke a pipe as per every other Jag owner or passenger?? Not that I have a problem with that, but I will need to buy a new suit and tweed is a bit hard to come by in my humble hometown.
Can’t blame Tom for the teacup, that would have been scripted and an appropriate for the wording.
I liked the behind the scenes and everything they say about British villainry is correct. The Brits do great villains. Though Strong’s use of “exotic” was a little questionable ha!
I wouldn’t half mind driving his Jaguar though.
There is also a nice interview with Tom on Harper’s Bazaar about Coriolanus, how he prepared and all.
http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/going-out/who-what-where/tom-hiddleston-on-coriolanus-shakespeare-national-theatre-live
THANKS for the link -that is good article. Getting very excited about seeing the play tonight [NTLive]. Pray nothing goes wrong, although in that article the bit about the sword breaking … wow quick thinking.
Hope you enjoy it tonight. I have to wait another 3.5 weeks yet…
Thanks for that link, kaisei. Lovely article. I always find it fascinating to see how an actor prepares for his/her role, especially when it’s live theatre.
“You could have an argument with your partner, or you could have been to a birthday party, or whatever. To cleanse yourself of what has gone on before is important; you can’t let it affect your performance”
Interesting!
Also, love this “I also vividly remember Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 Romeo and Juliet. I was 15 years old – the target audience for that film – and it had such a profound effect on me. I now cannot watch Romeo and Juliet without thinking about that film – I can’t separate the two.”
That’s dedication.
That is a really nice article, it actually focuses on his role in ‘Coriolanus’ rather than being a puff piece like Elle was. I did like that running video and yes, his saying ‘See you in Elle’ was dorky, but in a good way.
Its all about Mark Strong in that advert. Hiddleston is reduced to some old maiden aunt. They don’t even let him near the car. Haha
Still a stupid advert – what british actors really want to be identified as the british baddie.
Betsy, you win the comment section today 😀
“Hiddleston is reduced to some old maiden aunt. They don’t even let him near the car.”
BURRRN, I love it
He’s in the car in another shot, ‘four bodies in the boot’ scene.
although… I am beginning to wonder if there is a reason he’s not been on Top Gear, yet.
‘p’enny, he’s going to be on Top Gear on his birthday. Literally. Check out the BBC site.
God I love Mark Strong. Love love love.
I didn’t mind the Jaguar ad; tea is one of my most favorite things in life so a tea-drinking badass Hiddleston worked nicely for me.
That part in the Elle interview about “Trousergate” was vulgar. How the heck was he supposed to answer that? I guess that was the “revealing” part. Way to keep it classy, Elle.
Hi Janeite
I agree with you that it was somewhat vulgar to interview an actor about such things….I was disappointed with Elle’s interview really. Nothing terribly interesting (for me) at least, and very anti climatic given the “teasing” that Elle had been doing the past few weeks.
Hi windy! 🙂 Glad someone agrees with me. I know Elle was just trying to capitalize on the popularity of Hiddleston’s anatomy (an endless subject of fascination for so many fangirls) but it just went a bit too far for my tastes. I found it awkward and cringeworthy.
Ladies
I get really annoyed when they send someone to interview Tom (usually a young female) and it always ALWAYS ends up with coming back to his “sex appeal” and anything associated with that sex appeal. It’s just such one-dimensional journalism. Their questions must be written by 12 year old girls…
I thought Tom being shown sexually graphic fanfic drawings of himself (as Loki) on Alan Carr Chatty Man (dear god I hope that is referenced right) was disgusting. You could see he was so uncomfortable and dreading what the next picture might be. Then they made him get up and dance again (although I think he did that willingly as it meant he could control that part of the interview). Interviewers love taking advantage of his “never say no” nature and need to show him some respect. He needs to learn to say when he is not comfortable talking about something. Could you imagine anyone showing someone like Helen Mirren or Meryl Streep sex-based pics of herself then expecting her to talk about them in a friendly manner. Inappropriate and gross…
joespider, Jay Leno did ask Jamie Alexander about that dress and whether she was wearing underwear.
I agree, I mean Alan Carr showing that drawing is one thing, it’s meant to get a laugh, but ELLE’s journalist could have asked him about any number of things, to pick that one and pretending to be too embarrassed to say it out loud so she had to use her phone…But he answered well all in all.
Yeah, he did answer well. Considering the utter ridiculousness of her inquiry, I though he handled it quite well. It made me wonder what people would have thought had it been a male reporter asking a female actress to explain a photo of herself in a see-through top or something. I am far from being a prude but I found the whole thing appalling.
Wonder if anyone will rudely ask Jaimie Alexander about that very revealing side view of her in THAT dress at the TDW premier in an interview?
I liked the ad, Mark Strong owned it and Tom looked hot walking away from the helicopter and looking over his shoulder. Actually, he looked a mash-up of Christopher Lee and Christopher Plummer – neither of those two do it for me so that’s weird. I laughed at the lamp quivering next to Tom in the helicopter…so many feels!
I must have been living under a rock to not know about something specifically called ‘trousergate’ …perhaps he didn’t know what it was called either. But is that the best they could do? I don’t expect hard hitting questions but lifting the game on type of questions would be useful. She danced around the subject of relationships, trying to get him to cough up current status imo and getting nowhere. I’m impressed at his ability to play cards close to the chest although I get the feeling it wouldn’t have been that difficult in this case.
As for the photos, the pic of him wearing a blue sweater is gorgeous, but it’s a shame they didn’t print a boss photo of him wearing that Michael Caine t-shirt under his coat . Mixed feelings on the video – too arty – but he’s got stamina, no doubt.
I’m sure he’s a delight but the interview was too much of a PR exercise…Hiddleston, the Internet’s boyfriend! The only useful thing I got out of it was that he can hold his drink. I’d be under the table, which would be a lot of fun if he joined me.
What is “Trousergate”? I feel like I missed something here.
The picture with Tilda in Cannes where his pants are tighter than usual.
“Trousergate” refers to pictures of him last year at Cannes that were extremely revealing.
Hiddleston then Mark Strong. Perhaps concurrently. My Hiddleston love continues unabated but I’m happily adding Mark to the CB dong menu too.
I enjoyed those two videos more than some of the movies I’ve seen lately! Hiddles made me laugh, but Mark Strong carries the day as a sexy, bald badass. And I thought the behind the scenes commentary by Strong and Kingsley, though brief, was brilliant.
Although I love Hiddles, Strong absolutely has the best voice! Wow… I have never seen him before, so this was quite a treat.
Tom looked like he was trying not to laugh as he drank his tea. lol
As for that new Jaguar, it looks like a Porsche in the back to me and definitely doesn’t look like a Jag from the front. Instead, give me a 1974 XKE 12 coupe any day. Just my opinion.
@”January 30, 2014 at 11:39 am
He’s in the car in another shot, ‘four bodies in the boot’ scene.
although… I am beginning to wonder if there is a reason he’s not been on Top Gear, yet.”
Quite simple why not p’enny – would you want to have to work with that prat Clarkson?
@ joe spider
unfortunately, I found out this morning he is on Top Gear Feb 9th. I have to admit I do wonder if he can drive a reasonable priced car around a track without saying ‘sorry’
Jeremy is going to give him a very very hard time. ‘eek’
Oh I dunno. I think Jezza may get a bit gurly with the whole Loki thing and he’ll probably think that ‘Adam’ has amazing taste in music.
And of course he’ll say sorry about a billion times. And swear. And then apologise for swearing. I want to see if he crashes the car.
Yes, I found that out too. I just can’t stand Jeremy Clarkson.
The commercials are a little on the dramatic side, but I think that’s what they’re going for. I think it’s going to end up being pretty effective for Jaguar – the Superbowl hasn’t even happened yet, and they’ve already managed to get people below retirement age (I think this ad is an attempt to shake their image as an Old Person Car) talking about their product.
As for Tom, he’s perfectly charming here. Hopefully he likes his free Jaguar.
Seriously?? He got a free Jag? I’m torn between jealousy and outrage.
Well, I don’t know for sure, but I’d assume he got a free or at least discounted one. I imagine it would be a bit awkward if one of their spokesmen was pictured driving around in a BMW.
If he didn’t get a free one, he probably got a nice little deal with one that knocks it down to almost free for him. You wouldn’t believe all the stuff that celebrities get for free. I think they have to pay taxes on some of the stuff, but only if it exceeds so much.
I won’t lie, if I ever became a celebrity, I would totally milk that free stuff. Given I know what it feels to live on next to nothing. I just would never want to be as big as Brangelina. Oh my gawd, that would suck. But…then I could by my own island…hmm. Not so bad. Oh crap, now I’m getting off subject. Sorry, ignore that banter. Let’s blame on me being American. Does that work? Let’s pretend it does.
Outrage. All out outrage. I mean it’s not as if he can’t afford to buy himself one easily.
Give the poor masses (ME) free jags! We’re the real criminals anyway!
Cheeseball!!
No, I’m just kidding. I haven’t actually watched it and I don’t plan to. Because Tom Hiddleston is cheeseball. I really enjoy him in movies but I don’t want to see him outside of that.
DISCLAIMER: I hated Benedict’s Jag commercials, too.
Speaking of clever, naughty Brits, this twitter reply from Mark Gatiss to a fan:
high fives are free @mccourt_molly Jan 29 @Markgatiss:
“do you and Tom hiddleston come out after your matinee show of Coriolanus?”
Mark Gatiss @Markgatiss Jan 29 @mccourt_molly:
“I’m already out. And Tom’s not gay.”
I love Mark Gatiss – so clever.
LOL! That tweet is everything that is wonderful and awesome. I like that man.
So much tongue in so much cheek!
Love a guy with a quick wit!
Bet that girl is going “Wait…No…What?”
MARK STRONG. I love me some Hiddles, but goodness, Mark Strong’s VOICE!! That voice – it just melts my panties away. Seriously. Could you imagine THAT VOICE in bed?
Going to take a cold shower now…
And then, there’s the Thor2 gag reel. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1721474/thor-dark-world-bloopers.jhtml
So. Tommyanne’s gonna be on Top Gear on Feb 9th!
We get a lovely present on his birthday???
Thanks TommyAnnE!
What?? AHAHHAHAHAHAHA
Hiddles was hammy. Strong was smoldering. And Ben was…….there? (sorry)
But, damn, Tom’s cheekbones are a thing of beauty!
Think Tom was meant to be hammy
Reading through these comments, I think it’s noteworthy that even the more kindly commenters are beginning to see a bit of a house of cards going on with Hiddles’s PR efforts. I’m still maintaining that it’s unrealistic to see Hiddles as anything other than an equal architect in this but even those who disagree, seeing him as an unwitting victim of it all, are beginning to ask where is the substance behind all the hot air? Time for a PR pow wow in Tomland, methinks.
Sixer, you are aware, aren’t you, that his PR people have absolutely nothing to do with what Marvel decides to release? He signed those rights away when he signed the Marvel contract. Marvel is responsible for the recent release of the Capt. America footage, and the screen test footage, and the Thor 2 gag reel footage. Marvel had the right to release all that without even consulting him about it. Marvel is releasing Thor2 on BluRay DVD this month and is promoting it. He isn’t part of the promotion, he isn’t an architect in it, nor is he a victim, he is just part of the package. Kevin Feige rules Marvel and, although he may tell an actor he is planning to do something, he makes all decisions, especially promotional ones.
The Jaguar commercial is a job. He and his PR tear aren’t promoting the commercial, he merely acted in it. Jaquar’s PR team is promoting the commercial because that is what companies do when they spend millions of dollars for one minute of air time during the Super Bowl. Super Bowl commercials get lots of coverage in the media because they are big business. When a company makes its first venture into Super Bowl advertising, as Jaguar is doing, the business media pays attention. I doubt very much that Hiddleston’s PR team was making the calls to the Wall Street Journal – Jaguar’s did. The Jaguar commercial is already being eclipsed in news coverage here by the Scarlet Johansson Soda Stream mess, the Budweiser puppy and horse, Lawrence Fishburne reviving his Matrix character, and Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart in soccer uniforms.
The only PR he has done in the past three months have been: 1. the media access for Coriolanus in December at which various media outlets got the chance to ask questions and present it for publication as an “interview” in their various newspapers, something I’ve seen several other actors currently appearing on the London stage also do recently – it is part of the job of promoting the play and probably a contractual obligation; 2. the National Theater Live trailer for Coriolanus, which again is probably a contractual obligation. All the NTL plays I’ve seen here, including Richard II with David Tennant, have had similar treatments; and 3. the Elle interview, which was nothing more than a simple interview in a fashion magazine, which are NEVER in-depth, no matter how the publication promotes them, for which the magazine did ITS typical promotion that, for God only knows what bizarre reason, people took completely out of context while going berserk. Elle has already moved on to promoting next month’s issue in the same manner; that is what magazines do with little to no imput from an interview subject’s PR team. The PR team schedules an interview, lays out basic parameters but the magazine’s team does the same and the magazine is the one that does the promotion. So, basically, he has done one media access event and one interview/photoshoot/video thing with ELLE, and one promotional video for National Theater Live in three months.
@lilacflowers…. I agree with you that all these that you mentioned were not the sole responsibility of his pr team. But i am sure you’ll agree that his pr team had a significant control of what got released when…given that everything came out in the same week…the week leading upto ntlive broadcast. He is an actor… They need to be noticed by producers abd directors (especially big time studios) as being able to draw public attention. Makes business sense for them. I am not blaming his pr team and saying that they shouldn’t do this. It’s their job, they ate getting good money for that. I just don’t think that the publicity mechanics are completely out of their hands.
I agree with everything Lilac said. I also want to add some thoughts as well.
I just think everything happen to land around the same timeframe.
Thor: TDW is getting released next month. Marvel needs to promote that.
Coriolanus announced since summer last year that they will have NTL showing on January 30 worldwide.
Only Lovers Left Alive is getting wider release in February (to which promotion starts in January makes sense).
Elle is a great vehicle to promote the actor’s current work, which is Coriolanus (and it’s featured during the Q&A).
You can tell Jaguar planned the British villains in advance since Tom’s hair was black (during last summer). Superbowl happens early February usually so they need to promote in January.
He’s a public figure. I don’t get what is so wrong with promotion, whether by his PR or Marvel’s or Jaguar’s or Elle’s.
Like I said, it’s just timing. Crimson Peak is about to start production as well. This was set since last fall. I like to agree with what Tom said in a past interview. Actors would shoot something months or years in advance and come Christmas, they’ll already be on their next job and forget the last until it’s time to promote. I don’t exactly get why it’s necessarily a bad thing. His brand of PR (and other PR who obviously support him) is amazing if anything. He’s such a nice chap and obviously very hard working and seems respectful of others. In my opinion, he deserves the praise and attention. He’s doing it right.
Pretzel, his PR team has absolutely no say in when Marvel decides to release something. None. He is not that important in Kevin Feige’s world; none of the actors are. Marvel has had it Thor2 DVD release date scheduled for probably a year. Nor does his PR team have any say in the timing of Super Bowl commercials. The Super Bowl has been scheduled for tomorrow a lot longer than the NTL broadcast and is a far greater business priority. Jaguar has spent fifty million on this promotion; Tom Hiddleston’s personal schedule is the least of that company’s concerns at this point. While his PR team may have some say in scheduling when he gives an interview to a magazine, it also has no say in when or even whether the magazine will actually publish it or the magazine’s standard operating procedures as far as its own self-promotion. And that is exactly what ELLE did, it followed its SOP for self-promotion just as it is already doing for next month’s issue.
And to continue with my second response, I found the whole reaction to ELLE’s standard practice of self-promotion as manipulations by his PR team to be quite comical and naive. The magazine did what it always does with interviews in the same schedule it always follows.
Lilacflowers, you can add to that list 4. the Top Gear appearance next week, which I assume is a tie in to the Jag ad.
I don’t think anyone is suggesting that he has any influence over the release schedule for films or magazine’s pr. I agree Elle used a lot of hype to sell that piece and some of the fans fell for it.
However when there is publicity surrounding him, e.g. press/interviews for Thor or Coriolanus, it’s the image/persona that is being put forward. To me it’s all the more obvious when there isn’t anything to promote, which happened at the beginning of last year.
3 commenters here have called the Elle article a puff piece and I agree with this even the 1st sentence “Hollywood A-lister” is used. Unless Elle are being especially sycophantic, I’m sorry but Hiddleston is a talented and successful actor, but there’s no way he’s A list. Contrast this article with the Times interview in November.
And as SSquirrel pointed out further up the page “I think Tom just needs a few good roles to keep him busy again and give the PR shilling a break. Can’t say Luke doesn’t earn his money, but I think the real Tom is kind of getting drowned in all this fake attention”. This, exactly.
ELLE is a fashion magazine, it does only puff pieces and the Elle “hype” was absolutely no different than what Elle (or Vogue or Time or any other magazine) does for its next issue. The difference here was the over-the-top reaction to a magazine’s standard operating procedure.
The National Theatre live broadcast of Coriolanus last night has cleansed my soul of all this week’s PR stuff. My eyes were burned out with that Jag advert and the Thor audition stuff.
And therefore, I am so glad to see him act again. Act like he can, “glorious, but not lengthy. He is burdened with glorious theatre acting abilities. “
Oh you blessed child loved by the gods! I hate you!
Saw it yesterday – absolutely brilliant.
I LOVE Mark Strong. He is God’s special present to women. However, the ultimate dream cast would be Cumby instead of Hiddleston (sorry, but Cumby could have pulled all that tea drinking off far better), and a slightly younger Alan Rickman instead of Kingsley – and Jag would triple their sales.
OMG, you’re right!! Rickman, Strong & Cumby would have been ideal!
Had to come back and watch the advert. Oh my gawd! CHEEKBONES! I knew it had high cheekbones, but I didn’t realize how high and sharp they were. Wow.
*He. I think she meant he not it. Must have been distracted by the cheekbones that much. Ha ha. 🙂
His cheekbones are very sharp in that advert which is in complete contrast to his Coriolanus look. Seeing him in Coriolanus is like seeing a completely different person and it wiped Loki off my radar.
Think we’ve been posting on a similar subject in the Guardian icerose? Glad he is getting good reviews and serious press, in contrast to some other site……
Superbly British subtle & hammy humour. Doesn’t make me want to buy a car though. Aren’t jaguar drivers all pompous old wankers? Forget the other two …hello who is mark strong and why haven’t I seen him before?
This ad needs Sean bean.
Sean Bean would die though 🙁 He dies in everything.
Sean Bean always dies. It is what he does.
It would make for an interesting angle in the ad that’s for sure. Or they could go for blackmail – buy a Jag or Sean Bean gets it. Again.
He could be one of the “associates” in the boot! Everyone thinks he’s dead, but he’s not. And just when he is about to spring from the boot of the car and catch the baddies unawares, a totally freak accident involving a toothbrush, some playdoh and a pair of flip flops occurs and *GASP* Sean dies…
And seasoned baddie Mark’s response…
“Thank you for dying Mr Bean” (not that Mr Bean)
And psychopathic Tom’s response…
“Heheheheheheheh”
And mastermind Kingsley’s response…
“You two idiots stop dicking around and get back to work…”
Jaguar has said that additional villains/actors appear in the later ads, maybe one of them will run over Sean Bean?
Land the helicopter on him. Or use the backdraft to blow him into the lake / swimming pool / off the roof etc.
Sean Bean doesn’t play that type of a baddie though.
Though I love me some Sean, that man is sex on legs.
I can remember seeing him in Macbeth years ago. In his first scene he came on topless and wearing leather trousers. (Nothing’s new in theatre is it?) I nearly slid off my seat. Even my mum was looking rather flustered.
Um, I don’t get the Hiddles love? So sorry! Don’t kill.
I’ll take the Jag, though.
Either did I at first. Watch some of his interviews, and you’ll probably catch on, if you haven’t already.
I think the reason he’s so appealing is because he comes off as a normal everyday human being, and is incredibly polite in interviews.
Just wondering anyone here went to see American Psycho with Matt Smith? Susannah Fielding’s in it apparently… don’t know to what capacity, though. Glad she’s doing fine.
P.s. TH seems to have been out and about in a suit with HBC and took photos with fans o Saturday night.
Rejoy, new film coming up for Tom!
https://twitter.com/mr_wheatley
http://www.flicksandbits.com/2014/02/05/ben-wheatley-confirms-tom-hiddleston-for-his-adaptation-j-g-ballards-high-rise/64705/
Glad for him. Despite PR antics and a crazy fandom, this guys is actually talented (maye not as much as Cumby and Co.) and deserves to be in different movies that showcase his range.