The Night Manager still hasn’t come to America yet (it airs on AMC next month), but Britain is flat-out obsessed with the miniseries right now. They’re calling it the new must-watch series, or the new Poldark or whatever. And on Sunday’s episode, Tom Hiddleston showed his butt (go here to see the NSFW butt screen-cap). And Hiddles is becoming the new… something. I mean, I feel weird saying that TNM is taking Tom’s fame next-level, because he already had a rabid, crazy fanbase thanks to Loki and his general movie career. But there’s something about being on TV, being in people’s home every week, and now suddenly there’s a renewed interest (in Britain) for the gangly Lord Dragonfly. Which is my only explanation for this piece that appeared in the Daily Mail over the weekend: “Sex god he may be, but the Night Manager’s Tom Hiddleston is so ambitious he won’t let any woman get too close.” Oh, this is going to be good.
Hiddles is a lonely workhorse. A university friend says: “Tom is the consummate gentleman, pleasant to everybody he meets, from royalty down to the lowliest runner on set. You’ll struggle to find anyone with a bad word to say about him. He gives the impression of being supremely relaxed, but make no mistake, he has worked tirelessly to get where he is today. Talent only gets you so far….Being so focused on success isolates him. Hundreds of people consider themselves his mate, but probably no more than half a dozen truly know him — if that. As for women, they are only allowed to get so close, then he moves on. But being a chameleon suits him. It’s his short-cut to success. That and a complete lack of fear.”
He sacrifices personal relations for his career: “He realised he would have to make sacrifices to make it big. Some people would get closer than others, but they would find out in the end that his career comes first. Even his best mate came second when the chips were down.”
His real estate: His home is a four-bedroom property that was originally an artist’s studio, tucked away in Primrose Hill, North London. Visitors say it is ‘every inch the movie-star’s place — a knockout’, though only the few who have been invited through the electronic gates and two separate courtyards to reach the £5 million house would know. But for much of the year he is in Los Angeles — his preferred locale is the buzzing, ocean-side district of Venice Beach, where he disappears into the crowds with ease.
His ladies, including a J-Arthy mention: He has been linked to a host of women, among them Thor co-star Kat Dennings, Oscar-nominated Jessica Chastain, with whom he starred in horror film Crimson Peak, and Sherlock actress Lara Pulver — who so memorably appeared on screen stark naked. Last year, he spent a noticeably tactile afternoon at Wimbledon with Jane Arthy, a record producer, who was described by those who sat with them as his girlfriend. Hiddleston promptly denied this, and they have not been seen together since.
Whether he’s with Elizabeth Olsen: Of late, however, there have been signs there may be a special someone in his life — namely Elizabeth Olsen, the American actress who starred opposite him in the Hank Williams biopic. Hiddleston and Olsen, 27, have been spotted having lunch together, while their body language on the red carpet speaks of more than a professional bond. Reports suggest they have been dating, though it is ‘casual’, but Hiddleston has declined to say a word on the subject. With the tidal wave of work offers showing no signs of abating — and that tilt at the 007 job as motivation — there remains little time for romance.
I miss Jane Arthy. That was a crazy time. The Dragonflies genuinely thought that Tom and Jane Arthy were the real deal, and that he was about to announce a surprise engagement/wedding/baby at any moment. When it’s far more likely she was just a friendly hookup. As for Tom’s overwhelming, all-encompassing ambition… sure. I think he’s trying to tighten up Team Hiddles and make the move into a wider audience and bigger mainstream success, thus the role in Kong: Skull Island. I also think that’s why he keeps trying out new, ambiguous, inoffensive lines in his interviews. But just one question… if Hiddleston is such a seasoned, driven professional, why does he act like an overeager puppy whenever he gets near an open mic?
Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN.
SPOILER ALERT!
I’m in a daze due to Daylight Savings and there’s some family drama going on today so I’m a bit fractious but I just need to shout at Tom Hollander: GET YOUR FILTHY MITTS AWAY FROM MY LOBSTER!
End of spoiler – and no, I’m not going to explain that.
Any way, seems like the Daily Mail needed some click bait.
LOL. I am dazed and confused as well….would love to hear your story though….intriguing….little teaser you!
SPOILER lovely bit of Tom at his most charming and little bit of behind every lobster is a man who loves Tom Hiddleston. Mind you I am becoming very fond of Tom Hollister on and off screen.We now need a comedy with Hollister ,Hiddleston and Laurie on holiday in Monaco playing conmen and seducing beautiful men and women along the lines of Fargo with lots of sea food.
Yeah, but butt. /corky
What do you mean there is no lobster?
Hiddlestoners everywhere were hating on Hollander after those GRABS.
@NUTBALLS Laurie/ Roper’s expression looking away from those GRABS, with a “Can you believe this?!” expression, kills me, too.
Bay, for as “in charge” as Roper is supposed to be, I thought his startled, helpless reaction hard to believe. My disappointment in the series grows with each show.
@NUTBALLS Well, I thought this past episode was probably the best one yet.
Pine banging Jed up against the wall was probably a factor in that. 😉
@NUTBALLS it was a bonus, but hardly critical to the overall quality. Particularly given the last minutes of the episode.
@Bay, even though I’ve read the book, I found this episode thoroughly engrossing from start to finish – and the situation with the wall, lovely as it was, was actually far from the highlight. I’m not going to go into details because most Americans won’t see this until late April. Although the wall is all over in Internet
I would concur that episode 4 was the best one so far. And not because of the wall banging.
@Nutballs and Lilac:
Oh come on, you guys!! Just write SPOILERS and spill it, for God’s sake!!
PS I did not hook up to Unblock Us. I am a p*ssy and it was too complicated.
MI6, I didn’t think I was spoiling anything since the gifs of the scenes we’re referring to are all over the internet!
You can use a freebie unblocker like hola (Chrome extension), but I’d recommend that you undo it as soon as you’re done watching TNM as it could mess up your computer.
@Nutballs: I wasn’t accusing you of spoilers, I was BEGGING for them.
@MI6 SPOILER
The scene is actually from the book. At least part of it is. Jed orders lobster. Is told out of lobster. A lobster passes by on the way to another table. A drunken character loses it about being lied to about no lobster and tries to take the lobster for Jed. Things go badly Another character steps in to subdue the crazed drunken, lobster-obsessed character and make peace with the restaurant and the party who have now been deprived of their pre-ordered lobster. In the televised version, while the lobster-crazed, drunken loud mouth is being subdued, he grabs several handfuls of prime Hiddleston real estate front and back.
END SPOILER
And will nobody think of the poor waiter? Because clearly, the restaurant management didn’t.
haha I know what mean
SPOILER alert
I just tought to myself: damn, this guy is super boring in bed….
@Lilac: thank you for the narrative. Something tells me the Hunt for Red Lobster is not going to make it past our American censors.
I wonder what Beyonce would have to say about all this.
Actually, if this were airing on one of the free networks (ABC, CBS, NBC), I think there would be editing, but it will air on AMC and I seem to remember a scene in the early Mad Men years (I stopped watching after Season 2) during which Jon Hamm’s character grabbed a woman in a similar manner, so who knows?
@Lilacflowers I read that as Tom Holland, and I was trying to figure out why Spider-Man had his mitts all over our beloved Dragonfly king, because creepy. A quick search cleared everything up, and I will be tribute if that scene needs to be re-filmed. 🙂
This guy has a fabulous pr team. He gets a headline on this site alone several times a week. Doesn’t do anything for me. He’s 27, way too young to be described as some sort of desperado. He looks brotherish to Olsen….oh my two more Irish twins to join Mary Kate and Ashley. lol…it’s all good.
I thought he was mid-30s, no?
Matters not, he’s still a bore to me. Through my blurry eyes, I saw Olsen’s age and thought they were both 27. Think I need an expresso this morning. I blame the Walking Dead which I must watch live, then the after show and losing the hour….gonna be a long ass day.
@Nancy
I feel you. My head is swimming this morning. I slept poorly and daylight savings always throws me off a few days. Ugh.
He’s a bit of a bore to me, too. I don’t get the appeal at all. Same with the Cumberbatch fellow.
He is 35
His PR doesn’t have to arrange to get him weekly headlines. CB runs a lot of Tom threads cause he gets clicks. Simple as that.
Hon, he just turned 35.
I feel like this Tom guy is going to be this sites new Cumberbiscuit or whatever. Every interview, ten articles are written from it, just totally kissing his behind. No idea who he is.
I’ll probably get chewed out, the same way I chewed out someone who didn’t know John Goodman, so I get it. I do.
And what a fine behind it is.
It is kind of cute. I’ll give you that.
@Wiffie \o/
In other words, he has his personal life locked down and his friends are friends and not sources for tabloids. Sounds like a good plan. Whatevs DM.
He has no trouble getting close to us on the veranda. Come have a mimosa, InvaderTek.
The veranda is open for brunch. There may be lobster if you pre-order.
No no, you’re missing the whole point! He’s EMOTIONALLY UNAVAILABLE and needs a STRONG WOMAN to break through the tough outer shell of his heart so he isn’t so LONELY. I feel like it’s just another plea to his fans- Don’t worry, even if Hiddles is dating someone- He’s so focused on work, it won’t last, so, please… come to his movies and fantasize about being the woman to thaw his icy heart and save him from his lonely nights!!!!!!11!!1!
This was my take. An obvious pitch for the superfans. He wants only to be your sex god! Don’t worry lafies# he’s waiting for YOU!
He acts like an over eager puppy because he really is that desperate.
And yeah, bring back JARTHY!
I took it as an obvious pitch for advertising revenue for the DM.
But thawing the icy heart of LEGS would be easy. Ball gag him up, then put your hair dryer on full blow and let him have it.
Yep, just another bait-clicky article to keep the superfans dreaming that THEY will be the one to get him to settle down.
Not likely.
@ Miss J, He’s not desperate. He’s excitable, hence the analogy of eager puppy.
I know you CBs always want to paint him as desperate, but ambition and being Game for anything is not always desperation, not for actors anyway, at least from my experience.
The ‘source’ is obviously made up based on a brief peruse of the Internet. It’s almost word-for-word what fans think his love life is like.
As for the ‘small number of close friends and lots of mates’, that describes most people in their mid-thirties, doesn’t it?
So, yeah, obvious click bait is obvious.
More lobster please!
There is a plate of lobster over there. Just keep your and Tom Hollander’s mitts off mine, please.
The guy has a popular TV show airing right now. He did all his interviews in advance or over the phone/skype and he is far away so the DM can’t get any actual news. But that doesn’t mean the editors won’t try to benefit from the show’s/actor’s sudden popularity by printing nonsense stories for clickbait.
+1
There should be an equation that can figure how many close friends a person has in ratio to the number of their facebook friends. Then we would all know how many close friends Tom actually has. So important this is.
@Lilac, I saw some gifs of mitts on some precious parts, but I don’t know how the lobster fits in. But it sounds hilarious or at least here on CB.
Luke!
BRING BACK JARTHY.
Are we sure she ever left?
That she never left is my dearest wish.
I’m still wishing for a triumphant return of the JArthy. She was his most entertaining of lady loves.
Sixer, I saw your parting comment on the doping article and have seen the American version of The Killing (with Eve’s crush Joel) and loved it. I do need to see the Scandi version, if I can find it? I also heard about The Bridge as Trapped was compared to it. Was there an American version of that too? Obviously, I’m liking the Scandi dramas and need to consume more of them.
ETA: I love the relationship between Andri and Hinrika. Even with that constant furrowed brow, she really grew on me over the course of the series.
The Scandi version of The Killing is brilliant and there are several series. Dunno about the US, but there was a UK/French remake of The Bridge – The Tunnel. It had nothing on the original though. The Bridge is on Netflix UK, so probably on Netflix US too? I think you would love it.
I think I might have suggested before but Channel 4 has loads of different (and good) foreign language dramas under Walter Presents here: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/walter-presents. You can download rather than stream, apparently, but it looks like a bit of a faff – http://apps.channel4.com/app/download-on-all-4/. My telly has an app for it so I don’t have to worry about it, sorry!
Yes, I have Walter Presents bookmarked. It appears that I’ll have to rent these on Amazon possibly, as I don’t see the Scandi versions on our Netflix.
I’ve seen the first two seasons of The Killing US version. They are Excellent! I haven’t been able to keep up with the series since they moved it to Netflix, but I heard it’s not as good as when it was on AMC but dunno really.
This thread is going to entertain me all day. I can already tell.
LET ME GET CLOSE, TAWWWM.
I am also obsessed with the night manager. Last night’s episode was just terrific. The second half had me breathless on the edge of my seat.
For all the American viewers who won’t get to see it till April I would like to advice you to stick with the show! The first episodes are a slow build up but the pay off is so completely worth it. And there’s plenty of shirtless hiddles and gorgeous locations to keep you entertained in the meantime.
And there may or may not be lobster.
All I will say is thank God for female directors.
Female directors who know that lobsters can hide in the most interesting places.
I am so jealous of my British sisters who are watching TNM. The US censors are more strict. I need to buy this on DVD when possible.
I’m really curious to see the differences when it hits the states. Even viewers watching AMC in other countries have said there are differences between their version and the BBC version – snippets of scenes cut/added/moved around, etc.
what what what ?
I’m not going to see everything? Not going to see this lobster shit in it’s entirety?
F****k!
I just wanna what the lobster is all about.
I’m not particularly a fan of Hiddles – I like him as an actor but find his public persona a bit contrived – but I see nothing wrong with his lifestyle choices. So what if he doesn’t want to ‘settle down’ and has only a handful of close friends? Both seem perfectly fine decisions to me. I will say though, that part of me is kind of happy that these kind of comments are being made about men for a change. We’ve had the ”Sacrificing her love life for ambition” and ”Not able to hold a man” nonsense about women so many times, so in a way it’s a relief to hear the same about a man. It’s still nonsense though!
I don’t see what’s so bad about that either? Ambition is admirable in my opinion and if he chose his career over romantic entanglement then it’s his choice. We don’t see him with a new girlie every other month so I doubt he’s stringing anybody along.
Exactly. He keeps his private life private and from what we can see, is more interested in his career than in romance. If I was a hot 35 year actor at a high point in my career I’d feel exactly the same way.
I’m with lilacflowers on this one. The DM article is the biggest load of cut and paste/inaccurate click bait I have read in a long time. Re his house -” Visitors say it is ‘every inch the movie-star’s place — a knockout’,” We all no that is not the case, don’t we? And who has hundreds of mates? Acquaintances yes, and some good friends, but not hundreds.
It is all very “let’s make some ad revenue by cashing in on the latest hit television show by running a garbage piece about the lead actor! Let’s do it right after nudity on the show so we’ll get plenty of attention for nothing!
Sorry that should be know, not no! 😳
@spidey Oh, How do you make your smiley blush? It’s lovely!!
Too true ladies. It’s a pathetic charade of an article. They wrote again that Jessica Chastain and Lara Pulver were “rumored” to be involved with him. That stuff smelled of BS when it first came out. It was probably DM that wrote those fake rumors to begin with, just shameless.
@ Solanacaea colon oops colon
Here are a few more:
techlato.com/list-of-wordpress-emoticons/
😳
oh… 😳
Edit: Yes, I did it.. thanks for the link and for teaching me..
😎
Mind you I did think the wallbanger scene was the tv equivalent of click bait too.
Other papers are covering the reaction to the wall. The Fail had to offer something different.
Hubby and I watched the night manager and were rolling around laughing at how bad it was. Silly plot lines. Bad acting from hiddles as be tries to be brooding and dangerous. Hugh Laurie right hand man had some funny lines but it was a ridiculous show. Can’t get behind the Hiddleston love. I find him annoying.
I haven’t seen it but I read a review that described his acting in this as unintentionally hilarious and one of my friends thought he spent most of his onscreen time looking like he just smelt something bad. I think he’s normally good though. I just don’t think he’s had that defining part yet. They/him wants to be a leading man ( the burning ambition?) but I have a feeling he would shine much more in character parts. I want to see high rise, that’s the movie that looks most promising of all the movies he done lately.
Hugh Laurie is probably also doing press for this show, could you please cover him too?
I think Hiddleston is like a lot of the other Marvel actors. They try to match the tone of their press to the movie they’re promoting at the time. When it’s Avengers or Thor the 100th, you can expect to see the singing, dancing, over eager puppy in the press (no complaints here, Tom CAN dance) but he dialed his persona back for Crimson Peak press. RDJ does this too, he jokes and has fun on the junket for the franchise but you see a different side when he was interviewed for The Judge.
That’s not just Marvel actors, that’s any actor who has been through media training in the last 5 or so years. Social media has forced a real shift on how actors interact with the public, and the current model of media training instructs them to “portion” their persona to the audience of a specific project. That way they don’t burn out their persona and tire their audience (which was an early problem for actors as social media took over, the constant bombardment for more more more from fans was overwhelming for both sides). Anyone who’s been through the current media training behaves in similar ways, even down to often preferring one social media platform over another, so they’re not too exposed across the platforms (you go to Twitter to “see” Celeb X, Instagram for Celeb Y, and Facebook for Celeb Z, and so on).
I think it’s especially noticeable among the Marvel actors because they go through the exact same seminar given by the exact same people, and it’s creating a uniform response.
There’s nothing wrong with a person prioritizing their professional career, but this seems to be the same things I used to sprout when I was unable to get my sh!t together. You’re emotionally unavailable, your career is more important than romantic partners or entanglements, etc etc.
Please don’t turn him into the next Otter.
Am I the only one who’s disappointed in TNM? I enjoyed the book, despite the one-dimensional female characters and unsatisfying end) but I find the miniseries sorely lacking. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was better. Every BBC crime drama I’ve been watching the past year is better.
The great thing about television is that it allows for more character development. We’re not seeing it here at all. We’re seeing a lot of shirtless Pine, naked Jed and sex, which is great for clicks and gifs, but appeals to the lowest common denominator. The cliches are everywhere — the lonely, mysterious spy that can’t keep his lobster in his pants, the damaged damsel in distress who needs to be rescued, the evil villain who has no redeeming qualities — none of which makes me want to root for them.
As much as I’ve enjoyed Hollander in this, the last couple of episodes have left me cringing at his lines. Not even great acting can save bad writing.
The only character who is shining in this series is Burr. I like the fact that her pregnancy isn’t being focused on and that she’s not only smart, determined and resourceful, but sensitive and caring as well. Last night’s scene when she explains why she’s going after Roper was the best scene of the series so far. Of course she was originally written as a man, since le Carre can’t write a decent, complex woman, he writes women like Jed.
I objectify Tom here as you all know (and make no apologies for it), but I find when his sexuality is being exploited on screen to increase ratings, I react negatively against it. It’s like the BBC is using this to bring in viewers and the quality of the programming is sacrificed. I’d like to see him be known more for his acting than his ass and the gratuitous sex scenes along with the cheesy lines and unbelievable acting diminish him as an actor. I’m not buying him in the role — whether its the writing or his delivery — I can’t say for sure. Probably both.
I hope HR will deliver a great script that allows for a stellar performance from Tom. The last three projects have failed to do so. I need to watch my favorite Hiddles projects again to remind me that he’s better than what I’ve been seeing lately.
Haven’t watched last night’s yet but I’d agree there’s an amount of production values over substance going on, plus sex bait. Cue everyone saying, “Oh she would say that,” so I’ll add: Mr Sixer is truly loving it.
Also, Hugh Laurie is bloody good at implied menace.
Oh, Mr Balls loves it too! I’m the critical b*tch that expected more from the series.
Laurie does play the understated meanie quite well.
I’ve only watched the first two episodes (I’m in the US) and so far I am underwhelmed. LEGS has worked hard on turning himself into eye-candy, and they are obviously capitalizing on that and pounding the point home. Otherwise I am finding the script to be pretty two-dimensional so far, too many predictable tropes. Tom’s performance is incredibly campy and overdone, and the female characters so far are under-utilized. Burr is a wonderful actress– they had better do more with her. I am waiting for Laurie to really shine.
It is doing well in the ratings – about the same as Happy Valley but considerably less than Call The Midwife. Even so, any prime time drama that beats EastEnders viewing figures (the BBC soap) is considered a big hit.
I think Happy Valley knocks it into a cocked hat, though. And for a third of the price (just as well Auntie went halvsies on TNM, or I’d be cross at the licence fee money spent).
Miss J: Olivia Colman (Burr) is one of our best actresses. She’s got just about the widest range of anyone currently around. I’d watch anything with her in it.
I should have said Coleman, not Burr. They are not giving her enough thus far.
Even though Happy Valley is better in terms of script, dialogue and acting, it doesn’t have the generic britishness of TNM in terms of expressions and accents, rendering it less marketable. At least in the US, it would have a harder time finding a wide audience because it would difficult for people to understand the Yorkshire dialect at times. Most Americans I know don’t want to work too hard to understand what’s being said. Like Shakespeare, one has to tune their ear to it.
That being said, people love a spy story and add in some sex and romance with gorgeous settings, and you’ve got a winner. Most viewers aren’t as critical as I am and I expect TNM to do well globally, despite its shortcomings. Just like Downton Abbey did.
I saw a US news report once, in which some calamity or other had befallen a pair of Scottish tourists. They had really genteel Edinburgh accents, barely noticeable to a Brit ear (unlike, say, a Glaswegian pleb) and the news report had subtitles for the hard of hearing US viewer. Most amusing!
See, I think of TNM as fantasy Britland. Happy Valley is REAL Britland.
I don’t need subtitles for regional US accents. So there!
Sixer, we may have had our minor disagreements but your opinion of TNM is just as valid as anyone else’s. I did wonder where it was going for a bit but thought last night’s episode ramped things up a lot and really enjoyed it. However, I did think the wallbanger scene was a bit tacky.
Consolidated viewing figures for the previous weeks have been 8m I believe, with last night’s at 6m initial likely to come in around the same figure.
Ratings-wise it’s doing really well, it has been coming in at 26-27% share of viewers in its time slot and is the 11th most-watched programme of 2016 so far. That’s just in the UK – it’s had huge overseas sales, too, which many of the programmes above it in the most-watched list won’t have.
And yet, Happy Valley scores 6.5 million viewers and 28% share without Tumblr boyfriends wallbanging former models.
Superb writing and performances FTW!
FYI: Season 2 just hit Netflix US/Canada today…
Anything over 8m consolidated is a big hit in the UK. So TNM is, without doubt, a big hit. Having said that, it’s not the programme of the year or anything like that. It’s been neck and neck with Happy Valley and well beaten by established dramas on their Nth seasons, such as Death In Paradise, Call The Midwife and Silent Witness.
It’s been given a second series, I believe. Which I will enjoy, I’m sure. But I doubt very much it would have had the investment been the BBC’s alone.
I think they were hoping for higher figures.
Nutballs – Happy Valley is a thing of beauty, is it not? How can you end a series with a chase that makes you laugh out loud and die inside a little at the very same time? And doesn’t do raped bodies pr0n when the victims are victims of rape? And has complex female characters? And and and and and and and forever.
No, it’s not just you. While I’m enjoying all of the Tom, there’s just something missing from this character. I know he’s not supposed to be a complete fearsome force to be reckoned with, but he’s just coming across so light.
For instance ….SPOILER ALERT. The scene when he’s getting his passport back, his “give to me it’s mine” was more like an upset teenager who got his xbox confiscated for being out too late . I wouldn’t fear what he might have done.
I guess maybe it’s the script but he’s also doing a lot of just staring and face pulling. Where’s all the good dialogue?
Overall I’m enjoying the scenery and the “view” — if you know what I mean, but it’s not spectacular. I’m just hoping the ending is at least satisfying.
As the lead character, we should see more of Pine’s complexity, both in lines and in presentation and it’s just not there. For example, they’re not using his being haunted by Sophie’s murder as factoring into the decisions he makes later. It’s like he’s forgotten about her and we don’t get a good explanation as to why he’s willing to put his life in so much risk to work with Burr.
Yeah. I mean she’s was supposed to be be the catalyst for his vengeance and 2/3 in and not one glimmer of a memory has popped up.
I want to see more depth and development from all the characters, not just Pine. This cast is one of the best that’s been assembled in recent memory, and they are mostly wasted.
I still think more was filmed than they’re showing, and for some reason a decision was made to trim a lot of it, which is a shame. If however many millions were spent to film the thing, I would think more episodes would be better.
I agree. His bare rear-end is being used to increase ratings. To me, he doesn’t seem comfortable with this role. He looks uninterested and dull, and very uncomfortable with the sexier scenes. This is understandable since I think he is a very private man. ISTL promotion is coming up. Wonder what that will be like? THEO anyone!
Ugh. ISTL promo. Can that be over already? Please?
I’m still looking forward to ISTL, and seeing Tom’s performance (Olsen’s too, truth be told), even if the film itself leaves something to be desired.
As for the promo stuff, I’ve solemnly sworn to just roll with it – no photo assumption, no dissecting of body language, no reading between the lines in interviews. Tom will charm the pants off everyone who interviews him – good thing too, since his recent projects seem to be devoid of pants entirely so having a few extra pair lying around could come in handy if he finds himself in need of some.
Well Dara, at least he won’t need an extra pair for ISTL, the only film of the “current” three where he DOES keep his pants on while filming.
Given all the weight he lost to play Hank, I think that’s probably a good thing.
@Nutballs
No, you are not. I think the script is bad, the scenes are well shot but the locations are changing too fast. The acting is bad.
SPOILERS:
It is annoying that every woman seems to want to bang him. I get it. He is nice looking but why jumping in bed with him straight away? Something I also don’t get is Jed. So she finds out that Roper is dealing with weapons and what does she do? Right, she moves over to Pine. Walking around half naked all the time. They say that Roper is the worst man in the world. Sorry… But I haven’t seen him killing someone yet. He seems harmless. Burr was truly miscasted. What accent is this? And please, Jed calling Pine in the middle of the night while knowing that her boyfriend seems to be dangerous is too stupid to be true. Same goes for hiding the boy’s phone in his trousers. I know it’s just TV but I am so disappointed. Why does his acting seems so wooden? As Pine? He is fantastic as Loki. He was great as Coriolanus. But as Pine? No. The only great acting comes from Corky….
I agree 100%. Well said.
Guest: I agree the script is poor. I agree the production values seem to have trumped every other aspect of the show. I agree there’s too much sex bait. I agree this is not career-defining work from LEGS. But you’re wide of the mark on Burr. The entire point of Burr is that she is an outsider, so can attack both organised crime and Establishment corruption. This is why she has a regional accent. She’s not Oxbridge. If you’ve missed that, you’ve probably missed an awful lot else, I’m afraid to say.
Most of the plot points you see as problematic are actually from the book directly. And they left out Yvonne, who engaged in some wall banging in the book. Many of the most awkward lines of dialogue also come directly from the book.
I like what Coleman is doing with Burr.
Is it television at the highest pinnacle of art? No. Is it a pleasant enough escapist entertainment for a Sunday evening? Yes, and there is a place for that. LeCarre was going for a feeling more Bond than Smiley with the book and the show does capture that. It’s Bond-lite without the absurdity. And there is an audience for that. Everything doesn’t have to be high art to be enjoyable.
SPOILERS
Roper is an arms dealer, I’d wager that means he got… his fair share of people killed. Plus, I don’t think that lawyer got killed thanks to magik. And trash on Tom all you like (although, “wooden”? Really?), but slugging on Olivia Colman’s work, tells me that is one opinion I will not take seriously. The fact you think Corkoran is the only “good” character out of this, plus Loki as “fantastic acting”, implies you can only take in-your-face kind of parts. Which, it’s a style, I guess.
For me, Coleman as Burr is the best part (Hollander a close second) of what makes this series worth watching. A much as I like Tom and how good he looks on screen, he’s not selling Pine to me. I would also characterize his performance as wooden.
You kind of got me wrong when it comes to Coleman. I love her in anything else but as Burr? The only scene in which she was shining was the one when she told about the kids being killed. She could do so much better and it annoys me that they don’t let her shine. If you simply want someone to act behind you don’t chose this actress as she is great, too great. As for the accent, I just didn’t get it as I am not used to it. My bad then. Sorry. And as for Hiddles being Loki: you can take my opinion seriously or not but I believed his vulnerability and his anger regarding this role. But Pine? Don’t get him at all….
and thanks @Nutballs… wooden is the right word. Which is a pity as he can do so much more. HR seems to be more interesting. The funny thing is that even my friend who is not a fan of him but thinks that he is incredibly charming scratches her head while asking herself: why does he seem so wooden here when he comes across differently in interviews?
Regardless of whether this article is true or not, I wonder if people in any high powered industry where the competition is so ferocious all have to be so driven.
I’m thinking about this because, for me, I’ve been training to be in an industry where one of my friends just told me that the job she applied for had 1200 applications. 1200!! And these are people who have studied for years and years. I’m beginning to wonder if, for me to find a way to “make it” in this field (academia, not movies), if I will have to focus on career and absolutely nothing else. I mean, how do you compete with those numbers? I genuinely don’t think you can. Unless you already have so many advantages (you know people, you’re born into it), then I think you have to do nothing but focus on your own career.
For me, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m willing to that. I think some people love their work, and focusing only on it is still a joyous life, but that’s not true for everyone. For some of us, balance is key, and it can be hard to accept the reality that not all career paths let you have balance. So, it seems, you either have to really change tracks, or commit to living a very different sort of life.
Anyway. Thanks for listening, random internet people.
Grump, I hear you. Some people find utter joy in their work – for them it’s more of a calling than a profession. Others possess an almost-obsessive need to succeed, at whatever they do. If a person has both of those traits, they are the ones that will be super-stars in any field. I almost envy those people, but I’ve discovered that I’m much happier with a little balance.
I used to have a job many in my position would have killed to have, and I was making more money than I will probably ever see again. I told myself that the long hours, high-stress, and 24/7 focus on doing well was worth it, but it didn’t take long until I was absolutely miserable and filled with dread to think this was going to be my life forever. No one understood why I would just walk away, but that’s what I did. That’s not a choice that works for everyone of course, and if I had studied and trained for years and years to do what I was doing I would have had a very hard time convincing myself to change course, but I’ve not regretted making the decision.
Whatever path you choose, I wish you well.
@ Dara – Ditto here. Life begins when you free yourself of the shackles of economic and social expectations. 🙂
Aw. Thank you Dara!
I wish myself well as well (and you too!)
I think it is an age-old ‘appropriate’ line to throw at people or tabloids in Tom’s case – that I am single because I am SO focused on my career.. works most of the time! If he does meet whatever he considers his ‘match’ his dialogue would change!
Which is why I am not married yet at 35—I haven’t met my match. Tom where are you? LOL
@ Andrea
I see you, girl. I’m 30 soon! Lol
Think I’ll have to settle for his Dad! 😆
@Kate LOL
Actually Tom hasn’t said any of this it is the tabloids talking, as usual. The last time he made any comment on this was back in 2011 when he split with SF
Now if he shows up with Jarthy at the ISTL promo’s scheduled this month, and snaps are taken with them and EO, that would be amazing, we could be looking at 500 comments in a matter of hours. Let it be.
I fear the Jarthy is long gone, currently being displaced by the denying Olsen. Jarthy had a brass pair. Olsen looks infinitely managable.
Whatever (or whomever!) he is doing will always be kept on the DL… unless it helps his career somehow.
The article was total click bait, but I believe the heart of the story – his ambition – to be true.
I doubt he ever sleeps alone… unless he is tired.
The DM’s nonsense article agrees with my impression that no one gets too close to the Heart of Hiddles. If he can get laid without the work a committed relationship then why add layers of interpersonal complication when you’re rarely in one place longer than a month or two?
It won’t surprise me if he doesn’t get serious and settle down with a woman of childbearing age until he’s well into his forties. Just a hunch.
I feel like they are trying to sell us as he being like Fassbender–but Fassbender has had girlfriends (and many, many flings). I am not seeing all of Tom’s flings. Is he super discrete?
Yes, he’s pretty discrete in general.
He doesn’t have the sex appeal that Fassy has. I get a very asexual/gay vibe from this guy. Reminds me a little bit of Tom Cruise now that I think about it, but with a lot less charisma.
I have heard gay rumors about Tom, but I don’t see it. It isn’t because I don’t want to see it, I just would be a bit surprised. You are right, he doesn’t have Fassy’s swagger, still doesn’t mean he doesn’t pull in the ladies.
I heard the rumors about Tom Cruise too but I think he is just crazzzy.
The way you see Th looking at women’s (journalists and collegues) behinds and melons, he’s not gay…
I will say this also—cannot wait for Night Manager to come to Canada! I think it airs the same date as in the US.
Well Idris Elba has one daughter with a lady in the US, was married to another for apparently a very short while, now divorced, and has now split with the mother of his less than 2 year old son.
Think I know which I prefer, although I think I may have just committed sacrilege to some folks. 🙂
I thought he lived in Belsize Park – I think it borders not only the tony Primrose Hill area but isn’t far from Hampstead, where Cumberbatch lives.
The bits about being so focused on career that personal relationships come way second rings true – in interviews he comes across as very bright but incredibly thirsty and anxious to impress. He’s fun, he’s smart, he’s hot, but I doubt he’s great BF material.
Until he meets the right one, then everything could change!
Look on the map – halfway between Chalk Farm and Belsize Park underground stations.
Ah – on a visit I once walked from Chalk Farm to Baker Street – I thought I would die.
Agreed, super thirsty sometimes.
Which I can’t believe would be appealing to any adult female in real life, unless she were thirsty herself.
I don’t know, I am a bit of a loner being an only child like him and I would find someone like him appealing because I would get plenty of alone time and me time because he would constantly be trying to advance his career. Most men don’t have hobbies I have found and find it odd that I want so much time to myself. I need someone who can understand that aspect of myself. So maybe a fellow only child or loner, not just someone extra thirsty? LOL
He’s not an only child, he has 2 sisters, an older one and a younger one…
Well scratch that then… I thought he was an only child which explained why he was so driven… Not for me then haha
@Andrea, he’s not an only child.
He’s just very driven and focused which is nothing new at this level of film / TV business. Most commercially successful young actors are hungry and don’t have very good relationship record because they have to prioritize their career over everything else. Tom is no exception to this situation.
I wouldn’t presume to know about Tom’s attitude to relationships / dating history: but I think it’s clear that the Night Manager is winning him a whole new audience. Quite a lot of people aren’t filmgoers but they do watch TV, and are enjoying what they see, bottom and all.
What with “whole salmon en croute” and lobsters it is all getting very fishy.
Extremely fishy but very tasty… Especially if you have some nice toasted buns accompanying everything.. 🙂
Let us not forget the “saucy mussels”
@Solanacaea, @lilac
So naughty. 😉
I’m glad he treats everyone who he meets pleasantly regardless of status or notoriety, that’s the mark of a true gentleman so rare these days.
“Even his best mate came second when the chips were down.”
What does this comment even mean? I agree TH is crazy ambitious, but not in that cut-everyone-down way. He’s smarter than that, and also he’s a labrador at heart. Mr Nice Guy type. I think his thing with women is that he loves absolutely drop-dead-gorgeous types and maybe no one quite right has come along yet. I think the only one he was serious about was Susannah Fielding. She’s the only one he even talked about and took to film premieres. I could see this guy staying a bachelor if the right one doesn’t come along ever. And I think while he and Elizabeth O might have had a few nights on a casual basis, they’re just friends and played it up to promote their film.
He showed his butt in Crimson Peak too. I think he’s been objectified. He and Elizabeth D make an amazing-looking couple.
I think it was the reference to his best friend’s wedding was on a day he was filming (not auditioning!) War Horse, so couldn’t go.
No, he said it was a meeting with Spielberg.
He met with Spielberg when he was filming Thor in LA. I remember him talking about missing his best friends wedding in a video. I thought he was saying that the War Horse scenes were scheduled on his friends wedding day.
Here’s the interview. http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/tom-hiddleston-interview-and-pictures-thor-dark-world
It actually is not clear whether it was a meeting or the filming, only that Spielberg called.
No, he’s said in several interviews that he missed his friends wedding because he was filming War Horse. This was a cut & paste job from a tabloid that was looking around online for gossip & anecdotes that fit the narrative of the story they already had a headline and pictures for. The Daily Fail doesn’t fact check–they barely write their own articles.
That is what I thought about the missed wedding as well. As for the Daily Fail, you’re absolutely correct and it always amazes me that people ever believe anything it publishes or that they don’t recognize when the paper has done a piece, without any actual interview, sources or news, just for clickbait because the subject is popular.
Yes, it was definitely actual filming, not the audition. He auditioned on tape, before Spielberg was attached to the project, and was very surprised when Spielberg wanted a meeting with him – he got that call the day they filmed the rainbow bridge sequence in Thor. The meeting can’t have been long after that, and he was offered the job in it.
Ironically – or tragically, if the Daily Fail had checked their own archives they’d have found this… http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-2125013/The-Avengers-Tom-Hiddleston-People-think-Eton-arrogant-braying-toffs-It-just-isnt-true.html
It’s the first mention I could find of Tom missing the wedding – but it doesn’t say that it was filming rather than auditioning that was the cause, but I concur with the others and recall several interviews where Tom mentioned he missed the wedding due to actual filming.
Love the show.
I’d love to be in the position to be around T Hiddy and *not* have a thing with him. *sigh* I find Tom fascinating and fun as a person, but I don’t see the sex appeal part.
And I know everyone seems to be butthurt by news of him being cold, calculated, almost sociopathic in his relationships… but he is navigating some very murky waters. The movie industry would wring him out and throw him away as it always does with all performers. There are a lot of insincere people who are all too willing to use a famous man to get a name for themselves. Good for Tom for not having time for this stuff.
I think fans being displeased at him keeping a strict line of separation between public and private is silly. There are fans who feel entitled to their famous fave a bit too much, and that has to be kept in check somehow. The media are enabling this entitlement , so of course homeboy has to look out for himself.
“everyone seems to be butthurt by news of him being cold, calculated, almost sociopathic in his relationships”
It’s unfortunate that some, especially those new to Tom, may read these unprofessional, tabloid bait articles and take away this impression of him which is totally false.
For me the nature of his personality is quite evident even without seeing or knowing the particulars of his private life.
Haters like to insinuate that nobody knows what he’s truly like in private and therefore propagate the “cold and calculated behind a charming public persona” and other like theories. But those baseless accusations have never had anything to back them up.
So we must all go by what’s out there for anyone to see if they bother to spend the time. Specifically watching and listening to numerous videos and interviews and make your own observations to the nature of what his “true” or private personality might be while keeping in mind what you’ve pointed out about movie industry, fame and the media.
For me the nature of his character and personality is pretty evident even without seeing or knowing the particulars of his private life.
Me too, Cranberry.
He may be stategic and calculating in his career, but there is zero evidence that is how he lives his actual life. Despite some pervasive gossip to the contrary (which I think is 5% baseless assumption and 95% utter crap), we simply don’t know how he conducts his personal life. A large part of his appeal for me is that he has managed to keep his private life mostly private.
I’m also seriously attracted to his big, giant brain – I think on most days he may be the smartest guy in any given room by a significant margin, and blessed with an almost-photographic memory, but there is never a whiff of arrogance or condescension in his demeanor at all, which says a lot about his personality as well.
There are interviews with him around from back in 2007, when he was doing touring theatre, long before he was famous or had any expectation of fame – and you can see that he’s very much the same guy now as he was then. He’s not quite as open as he used to be, he now has a veneer of media-trained professionalism and an awareness that journalists will mine his words for potential click bait, but in essentials he is exactly the same.
I don’t know where this idea that he is cold in his relationships comes from. I’ve never heard a bad word about him from anyone who actually knows him. And I really do wish people wouldn’t use words like ‘sociopathic’ without knowing what they mean. Sociopaths lack empathy and have difficulty forming attachments with others, which is really not compatible with a career in acting. They tend not to be well-educated and to have difficulty holding down a steady job.
@Dara, “never a whiff of arrogance or condescension in his demeanor at all”
@KTE, “you can see that he’s very much the same guy now as he [used to be]”
Exactly my point. Throughout the years he has ‘consistently’ been one of the most affable young men, so much so that many people meeting him tend to come away remarking on his kindness and his happy, optimistic demeanor. And you can see it when you watch him in many interviews and candid videos. These are things you just can’t fake or fake for long. It’s just who he is. Not the total of who he is, but I think it’s a natural set point or dominant trait of his personality which is why people take to him so well.
That’s why this is a bunch of deliberate click bait rubbish cause even suggesting TH is a cold calculating poshy or an emotionally defective sociopath is going to catch peoples attention, his fans, haters and curious newbies.
@KTE I happen to know what sociopaths are, I have encountered a few in my research as a sociologist and working as an organisational therapist.
But as someone who also hangs out on Tumblr, it’s a word I hear tossed around in connection to Tom A LOT, especially when he is contrasted with Chris Hemsworth. People accuse him of “exploiting” his friendship with Chris to get ahead and all sorts of other things that leave me agape.
If I remember correctly, it was Chris who washed his hands clean of Tom and basically called him a liar in the press. But well, this is another discussion.
And how is he very secretive, as these reports seem to claim? I know the layout of his house, I know what brand appliances he has in his kitchen… and this just from watching a video he made in his home for the UNICEF. Any other celeb would have rented a showroom kitchen for that.
Tom and Hugh will be interviewed at Times Talk April 11 NYC to promote TNM. Tom is confirmed for Tribeca Film Festival right after that where both High Rise and TNM will be featured. Looks like he’ll be in NYC for awhile.
I’m going to miss him in NYC by a week! But the Times Talks normally make it online pretty quickly.
He is now being called “The Man with the Golden Buns”! Not sure that phrase is a winner.
As opposed to “The Man with the . . . . GOLD Fingah!”
…gross. And demeaning.
I agree.
There’s another ridiculous article in the Daily Fail today.
Jinx!
I was disturbed by that wall sex scene :S I am uncomfortable with how these days all actors, male and female, have to strip to some extent in movies. There is no need for nudity for good storytelling. I am not prudish, I like looking at nice naked bodies, (which is why I went to Art School), but I feel that it’s become an unnecessary must in all productions that want to be “raw” and “edgy”. Also I feel I am way too intimate with Tom, the only thing of his I have not seen is his butthole and I sadly do not understand how this is essential to acting. That being said, I would trade this anytime with being friends for real with Tom. Like someone else said further up, he has a giant awesome brain and he is goofy and with a noir sense of humour. I really don’t believe these claims that he’s cold and distant.
So, it looks like the Daily Fail have now pinched the latest pics from Vietnam of Tom eating breakfast and posing for a selfie with fans, made up a bunch of Bond-related quotes to go with it, and is pretending that Brie Larson has turned into an antisocial recluse after winning her Oscar.
It astonishes me that people believe this bullshit, really it does.
That article is so funny…. In an akward way. They managed to spell his name wrong. Since when is Hiddles mentioned in the DM? Like that?